The Express-Times | By Colin McEvoy
An Allentown man today admitted to shooting the mother of his child several times in November 2007 while their 3-week-old infant son was nearby.
Russell Neave, 40, pleaded guilty today to aggravated assault and faces a possible minimum sentence of up to 10 years in prison. A charge of attempted homicide was withdrawn as part of the plea deal.
Neave shot Ana Thomas several times on Nov. 2, 2007, including once in the head, after both of them grabbed their infant son and were pulling him toward each other, according to an arrest affidavit.
Thomas attempted to run away on foot when Neave shot her, then he fled himself, according to court records. Thomas survived her injuries, and the baby was safely recovered from witnesses who saw the shooting, police said.
The shooting took place in the 600 block of North 6th Street at 4:43 p.m., according to court documents.
Neave also pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated harassment by prisoner, which stemmed from a 2009 incident in which he spit on Lehigh County Prison guards, Chief Deputy District Attorney Christie Bonesch said.
Evaluations later determined Neave is mentally handicapped, Bonesch said. While that does not impact the guilty plea in terms of sentencing, it will affect the type of treatment he gets later.
Neave was not arrested until two months after the 2007 shooting, when security members at the now-closed Allentown State Hospital recognized him as a wanted man and trapped him in a stairwell, according to records.
Neave was originally expected to be sentenced today, but asked for more time so that his son -- who is now four -- can visit him in Lehigh County Prison before he was sent to a state prison.
Neave's attorney, public defender Richard Webster, previously filed a notice of an insanity defense, which led to the observations that found Neave is mentally ill, Bonesch said.
Neave is tentatively scheduled to be sentenced on July 20 before Judge Doug Reichley.
Shortly after Thomas was shot, she told police the shooter was her "baby's daddy" and identified Neave by name, according to court documents.
Neave had a prior robbery conviction, which prohibited him from legally carrying a firearm at the time of the shooting, police said.
Read the full article
