Protection from abuse order issued against Greene Co. District Attorney

GREENE COUNTY, Pa. — Greene County District Attorney David Russo’s wife has filed a protection from abuse order against him.

According to the PFA, Jana Russo claimed her husband has a history of abusive behavior when intoxicated and intimidated her with firearms at their home in Jackson Township.

The temporary PFA was granted on Monday.

By Tuesday, Mr. Russo was served and required to give up more than a dozen weapons until a hearing can be held later this month.

In the PFA, Mrs. Russo alleges that Mr. Russo has a history of drinking heavily “all weekends” and that habit has led to abusive behavior toward Mrs. Russo and their kids.

The PFA also claims that he often intimidated his wife with firearms by leaving a handgun on a workbench. He also fired a gun into the bushes outside when she was near him several times, according to her statements.

In the PFA, Jana Russo specifically mentions an instance on Oct. 10 of this year where her husband was “screaming and looking for me all through the house.”

“I locked myself in the bedroom with my son. Since then I would leave with the children each weekend and would stay with our older son,” she says.

Jana Russo says her husband threatened to beat their two boys after hearing one of them saying a profanity. He threatened to hit her in August but was pulled away by one of her sons, she claims in the PFA.

In the paperwork, she also says the family stopped having dinners together because of him having “screaming fits.”

“On 11/2/21 I left with the children. I was afraid and I left for safety with the children later that night after he passed out and did not return. I want him to leave us alone,” she says. She and the minor children began staying with the oldest son full-time.

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The PFA says Jana Russo filed another PFA against her husband around 15 years ago in Washington County after she said he slapped her in the face, punched her in the back of the head several times, and choked her.

Mrs. Russo is seeking custody of the pair’s four children. David Russo has to pay temporary child support as well as legal fees.

Mr. Russo will also have no visitation with his minor children until a custody agreement can be made. He also has a no-contact order with the children until the PFA hearing.

No charges have been filed against Russo, although state police and the district attorney’s offices were notified of the PFA. His hearing is scheduled for Dec. 13.

This is the second time in the last few months that a local District Attorney has been accused of misconduct. Pennsylvania State Police troopers arrested the Somerset County District Attorney in September on charges of rape, indecent assault, strangulation, simple assault and criminal trespass.

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