"Since our last chat..."

 

After a property hearing was unexpectedly abbreviated, I headed to the Fourth Floor where I cornered Dave Rahauser. Dave is truly a local, having been raised in Chambersburg.

I had earlier been listening to discussion on BBC about the Pope 'Tweeting'. Apparently, the Pope's messages on Twitter are in eight languages, but his preferred language, allowing the most message per 140 characters, is Latin. We know where to turn for translations.

Dave is a 1971 graduate of Dickinson College with a major in Latin. He took minors in Education and history. Dave then taught Latin and History in the Cumberland Valley School District for three years. In February, 1974, Dave entered the John Marshall School of Law in Chicago, Ill.

In May, 1977, Dave returned to Chambersburg to associate with the late Tom Humelsine. [Tom was the president of Dave's parents' Chambersburg high school class. All three were West Enders]. Dave engaged in general practice during his association with Tom, ending this active relationship in 1984. Dave has continued his private practice to date.

In 1979, then District Attorney John R. Walker, hired Dave as a part time assistant district attorney. Dave continues that position today.

Dave did not, however, escape the teaching profession entirely. Dave taught Latin part time at Faust Junior High School, now CAMS North, from 1989 until 2009.

Dave and his wife, Cassie Rahauser, Esq., assistant director of Franklin County Children and Youth, are now the busy parents of Marcus, age 9.

When possible, Dave abandons his roll as a 39th Judicial District Custody Conciliator and heads to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby.

As we were talking, Dave could not resist discussing those early paternity trials in the late 70's and 80's, alluding to Bill Kaminski's earlier recollection.

Dave remembers Judge Eppinger fondly. As part of a paternity trial, before DNA matching in excess of 90% was a presumption of paternity, paternity was a criminal proceeding. It was necessary to question the mother regarding all of her sexual contacts from her last regular menses to the diagnosis of pregnancy. Then the infant was to be displayed to the jury.

Dave tells of a favorite paternity trial. The mother had to file against the alleged father if she wanted to receive Welfare Benefits.   DNA was available, scientifically proving the defendant the father, however, there was no presumption that the results determined paternity at the time. The evidence was difficult to present to a bored, glazed eye jury. Remember science class or algebra?

The mother acknowledged that she had relations with the putative father during the appropriate time interval. Her testimony indicated relations with the defendant at the peak of the ovulation bell curve. Dave thought the case won.

When Dave asked if that was the extent of her sexual experience in the appropriate time frame, initially she affirmed. Then, however, she relayed that she'd been at the Sunset Drive In (now town houses, north of Chambersburg on US 11). It seems that a different gentleman had proposed sexual activity and accompanied her to a neighboring corn field. There he proved unable to perform. She asked if that counted. Defendant was relieved of a finding or paternity notwithstanding the positive DNA results by the jury.

Dave then escorted me through the Fourth Floor labyrinth to the office of Zach Mills, member of the District Attorney's Office. Zach has been a full time employee for the past two and a half years. He, like Dave, is a graduate of the Chambersburg Area High School. After high school, Zach attended the University of Pittsburgh, graduating in 2007 with a decree in classical civilization and political science. He then entered law school, receiving his law degree from Washington and Lee in Lexington, Virginia in 2010.

 Zach took Latin for two years at Faust. His teacher was Dave. I wonder if Dave taught him Caesar's Gaelic Wars?

Currently, Zach is sitting second chair on three different murders in various stages of legal process: a post conviction matter, a motion for reconsideration at the Superior Court level and an habeas corpus in the federal system. [Oops, Latin].

Zach, a first time home buyer, is learning the joys of repairs. He claims to be a neophyte in remodeling.

Since he gets enough exposure to crime stories at work, he enjoys parallel universes, science fiction and fantasy in his reading and computer games. His current favorite game is Civilization Five. Reading and the computer occupy substantial non work time.

Zach built his own home computer...and I'm still having trouble figuring out how to use all the features of a 'smart' phone.

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After the admissions of new members and the honor  granted to Jay Benedict, I slipped over to the law library to review some of his work. I loved this entry: