Defending Family and Freedom: Louis Busico's Successful Defense in Attempted Murder Case

Attempted Murder Charge Dropped

By Hilary Bentman, The Intelligencer

Laurence Giacobbe is facing other charges. Police say he shot a gun at his son during a domestic dispute.

A Solebury man fired his .45-caliber pistol to scare his son during a domestic dispute and never intended to harm or kill the 19-year-old, his lawyer told a judge on Monday.

Doylestown District Judge Robert Schnell Jr. apparently agreed because he dropped the attempted murder charge against Laurence Giacobbe.

Giacobbe, 54, was arrested in August after police said a dispute ended in him firing his gun at his son Anthony, who was standing in the doorway of his parents’ bedroom.

The bullet hit the door about three feet from where he was standing, went through the hallway wall, exited the house, traveled about 270 feet across Heather Drive, and penetrated the attic of a home across the street, police said.

The homeowner across the street was in his den at the time. Neither he nor Anthony Giacobbe was injured in the incident.

Charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and discharging a firearm into an occupied structure were held over for trial.

“This was a man scared of his son, trying to get him out of the house,” said Giacobbe’s lawyer Louis Busico. “His only intention that night was to defend himself against the actions of an out-of-control son.”

Solebury police were originally called to the home on August 5 for a disturbance involving Anthony and his parents, Linda and Laurence Giacobbe.

Linda Giacobbe had asked her son to leave the house because he and his friends were making too much noise, police said.

Anthony left but later returned to retrieve his alarm clock. A soft-spoken Anthony testified on Monday that he came home to find his room in disarray and confronted his parents, who were in their second-floor bedroom.

Anthony and his father argued for about 10 minutes, during which time Anthony twisted his father’s wrist to leave the house. At some point during the argument, the elder Giacobbe retrieved his gun, pointed it at the floor, and fired, said Anthony.

Laurence Giacobbe called the police, and when they arrived, he re-enacted the scene.

Solebury police officers testified that Giacobbe told them that Anthony and Linda Giacobbe had been arguing and that he was afraid his son would hit his wife.

Solebury Officer Mark Chakin testified that Giacobbe told police he had his gun pointed toward the floor when Anthony kicked the bedroom door in and raised the pistol slightly and fired.

Assistant District Attorney Marc Furber argued in court that what Laurence Giacobbe told police was “damage control.”

“No one tries to scare someone by firing a loaded firearm ... less than 3 feet from where their son is standing. It was not an intent to scare but an intent to harm or kill,” said Furber. “If that bullet was several inches to the right, we wouldn’t be looking at attempted murder charges.”

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This case highlights Louis Busico's dedication to defending his clients and ensuring justice is served. The successful dismissal of the attempted murder charge showcases Busico's ability to navigate complex legal situations and achieve favorable outcomes for his clients.