Man Acquitted in 7-Eleven Robbery
By Laurie Mason Schroeder, Staff Writer
A Bucks County jury in Doylestown on Wednesday found a Philadelphia man not guilty of robbing a Bensalem convenience store, citing a lack of evidence to support the accusations against him.
Timothy Corbett, 28, was charged with the July 12, 2010, robbery of a 7-Eleven on Bristol Pike. Prosecutors alleged that Corbett threatened the store clerk with a gun and demanded money.
However, the jury found Corbett not guilty on all charges, including robbery, terroristic threats, possession of a weapon, and simple assault. Corbett's defense attorney, Louis Busico, argued that there was no concrete evidence linking Corbett to the crime scene.
A key piece of evidence that contributed to Corbett's acquittal was the surveillance footage from the store. The footage showed the suspect had a distinctive hairstyle, which did not match Corbett’s hair at the time of the robbery. Busico emphasized the importance of this discrepancy, arguing that it cast significant doubt on the prosecution's case.
The defense attorney asked the jury to study the grainy video footage carefully, and they did. Busico’s argument centered on the assertion that Timothy Corbett’s hair was short and neat, unlike the suspect’s hair, which was bushy and unkempt.
The jury deliberated for more than four hours before delivering the not guilty verdicts. The prosecution, led by Assistant District Attorney James O’Malley, had relied heavily on the store clerk's identification of Corbett as the robber. However, Busico was able to discredit the identification by pointing out inconsistencies in the clerk’s testimony and the differences in appearance between Corbett and the suspect shown in the video footage.
“This is a clear example of how important it is to examine all the evidence carefully,” Busico said after the verdict was announced. “Timothy Corbett did not commit this crime, and the jury saw that.”
During the trial, it was revealed that the police had also found DNA evidence at the scene that did not match Corbett’s DNA. The defense argued that this further demonstrated that Corbett was not involved in the robbery.
The acquittal of Timothy Corbett highlights the critical role that thorough examination and presentation of evidence play in ensuring justice. Louis Busico’s effective defense strategy successfully demonstrated the lack of credible evidence against Corbett, leading to his acquittal.
Laurie Mason Schroeder can be reached at 215-949-4200 or lmason@phillyBurbs.com.
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