Man charged with criminal homicide after argument in Jeannette appears in court

WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — As the case against Jeannette homicide suspect Antwone Thurston moves one step closer to trial, the defense is laying the groundwork for an argument of self-defense.

“There’s one common thread throughout this case. Mr. Thurston was the one attacked, he just happened to have a pocketknife on him,” said defense attorney Phil DeLucente.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >> Man charged with criminal homicide after deadly argument in Jeannette

Jeannette police were called to South Sixth Street last month for a fatal stabbing.

Testimony today revealed that William Osselburn was stabbed or cut 11 times.

Police say Thurston was outside of the townhouse with his girlfriend who also lived there and a neighbor.

Police say Osselburn got into an argument with the neighbor over money she owed him.

Thurston’s girlfriend took the stand today for prosecutors and said Osselburn refused to leave.

She said he attacked Thurston first, pushing him to the ground, and continued to charge at him.

Police say Thurston then used a pocketknife to stab the victim before he ran away.

“Her contention was that this was self-defense, that he was not only defending himself. He was defending her and her children,” said defense attorney Nicole Nino.

“Any time someone dies, it’s very sad. But he was a cantankerous individual who was told to leave. Not by one person, by three people (that) he didn’t live there. It was clear he didn’t just attack our client once, but twice,” DeLucente said.

Thurston’s defense team says while this is a tragic case because someone lost their life, they believe Thurston had a right to protect himself and those around him, and they hope to prove that in common pleas court.

“We believe personally from what we heard today it’s a voluntary manslaughter or an acquittal — it’s one or the other. We believe clearly it’s a justification defense,” said DeLucente.

The judge said the circumstances and arguments are for a jury to a consider, and held the charges. Thurston is due back in court in December.

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