09/20/2007
BY JAMES CONMY
TIMES SHAMROCK WRITER
WILKES-BARRE - A Shickshinny woman jumped from her chair and bolted for the door of a Luzerne County courtroom after hearing a jury found her guilty of placing her then 11-year-old son at risk by allowing him to take a loaded .22-caliber pistol to Hunlock Creek Elementary School.
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Linnea Holdren then attempted to break free from Luzerne Count sheriff's deputies who tried to block her path. It took three deputies, with help from two troopers from the Hazleton State Police in the courtroom on another case, to finally restrain Holdren so they could take her into custody.
Her husband, Randall Holdren, pleaded with the deputies not to handcuff his wife and allow them to speak.
"You don't know her," Randall Holdren told deputies as his wife continued to wallow while laying face down on the floor.
The deputies did not allow the husband and wife to converse. A handcuffed Linnea Holdren refused to walk, so deputies had to literally drag the 45-year-old Ridge Road resident back to her seat.
The jury forewoman then announced the panel had found Linnea Holdren not guilty on a charge of corruption of minors. She continued sobbing and began to yell even louder. After Linnea Holdren learned she was guilty on the final charge of recklessly endangering another person, she shouted, "My life is over now!"
Luzerne County Judge Chester Muroski, who presided over Linnea Holdren's two-day trial, attempted to keep the jury calm during the commotion. Once the jury was outside the courtroom and Linnea Holdren was carried by four deputies outside the courthouse, Muroski quickly shifted focus to her bail. She was free, but in what he called an "extraordinary" move, Muroski increased Linnea Holdren's bail from zero to $250,000.
In addition, the judge ordered an immediate mental evaluation, saying he was "very, very concerned" for both Linnea Holdren's safety and the safety of others. He scheduled a hearing for Monday at 10 a.m. to reevaluate Linnea Holdren's mental state and bail.
Muroski denied an attempt by Linnea Holdren's attorney Michael Butera to have her released Wednesday afternoon. Butera argued it has been more than two years since Linnea Holdren was charged and nothing out of the ordinary took place.
"Mr. Butera, I've been in the (district attorney's) office for 14 years and I've been a judge for 25 years and I've never seen anything like that," Muroski said.
Muroski also ignored Randall Holdren's pleas about his wife not being a threat to anyone.
The judge signed a search warrant immediately authorizing state police to remove any guns or weapons from Randall and Linnea Holdren's Ridge Road residence. The order also allows law enforcement to enter Randall Holdren's father's house to confirm all guns are locked up.
State Police Cpl. John Richards, who handled the investigation and charged Linnea Holdren, told Muroski he feared the house's remote location could put troopers at risk.
"If they choose to take vengeance on us, we're at a severe disadvantage," Richards said. "I don't feel safe going to the house after what happened here."
Randall Holdren told Muroski, with the exception of one gun, the rest were locked up at his father's house. He continued to ask Muroski for permission to speak with his wife. Muroski did allow Butera and Randall Holdren to meet with Linnea at Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
Randall Holdren declined to comment as he left the courthouse. Butera said the Holdrens were considering many options, including an appeal.
"It's obviously a very emotional time right now," Butera said.
Although Muroski did not set a sentencing date, the most severe criminal penalty Linnea Holdren likely faced was house arrest, based upon her previously clean criminal record and the level of offenses. The impact on her career could be more severe.
Linnea Holdren is a teacher in the Northwest Area School District and her teaching credentials could be impacted by the decision, said Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Daniel Zola, the lead prosecutor.
Zola would not comment if Linnea Holdren faced any other charges from what transpired in the courtroom. Zola conceded he was shocked by the developments, but was more focused on the jurors.
"I'm really upset for the jurors," Zola said. "They were just doing their duty and their job."
The status of Linnea Holdren's teaching credentials remains in limbo. She has been on paid suspension but the Northwest Area School Board changed that to an unpaid suspension at Wednesday night's meeting.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education will be notified of the conviction and make a determination on how it affects Linnea Holdren's certification, said Superintendent Nancy Tkatch.
The Holdrens' son, who is now 12, was expelled from the district. He has not applied for reinstatement, Tkatch said.
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