Covington case postponed
The upcoming trial of F. Bruce Covington, accused of bringing illegal drugs to the home where a young man was killed in 2006, has been postponed until September.
The case was expected to begin during the week of July 20. But on July 21, Delaware County Common Pleas Judge James F. Nilon Jr. announced the postponement, citing scheduling conflicts.
In September 2006, 23-year-old Jason Shephard was found strangled to death inside William F. Smithson’s home in Thornbury.
The victim had consumed gamma hydroxybutyrate that Covington allegedly brought to the home, according to court documents.
Covington also is accused of lying to authorities about his whereabouts at the time Shephard died, but he’s not been directly connected to the homicide.
Covington, a former administrator at St. Joseph’s University, was sentenced last month to three years of probation for drug offenses in a separate incident that took place in Montgomery County.
He remains free on bail.
The new trial date has been set for 9 a.m. Sept. 9 at the Delaware County Court House, 201 W. Front St., Media.
— Tim Cwiek
Input sought for bookstore renovations
Supporters of LGBT bookstore Giovanni’s Room are invited to a community meeting at 7 p.m. July 28 in the Philadelphia Room at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., to plan for renovations at the store.
The exterior brick wall on the 12th Street side of the store needs to be replaced, and supporters are looking for event planners, fundraisers, community organizers and other local LGBT and ally leaders to help brainstorm for fundraising ideas for the project, which is expected to cost about $50,000.
“The wall needs to be taken down brick by brick and put back up brick by brick, so we want to get together and discuss different ideas about how we can all help out,” said Arleen Olshan, former owner of Giovanni’s Room, the oldest LGBT bookstore in the country.
For more information, contact Olshan at (215) 242-5074.
— Jen Colletta