West Easton Boro Constable Arrested, Spends Night in LC Jail

Mezzacappa mug shot 

Last week, West Easton Boro Constable Tricia Mezzacappa was scheduled for trial on charges of false reports filed by the Pennsylvania State Police. In February 2019, she called state police to report that she had fired her own gun at a black neighbor whom she said had pointed his own gun at her. What really happened is that her neighbor's car exhaust bothered her. She characteristically went ballistic and began pounding on her neighbor's door. The neighbor's girlfriend was so terrified she called police. Then Tricia concocted the lie about her neighbor, assuming state police would believe her because she is, after all, white. Unfortunately for her, they didn't. They knew her weapon had not been fired and no neighbors had heard anything. There were no 911 calls and no spent rounds or shells. In addition, she had been drinking. So instead of seeing her neighbor charged, she was, with false reports. After 20 months of delay, she failed to appear for her trial. Her lawyer, distinguished defense lawyer John Waldron, told the Court he had instructed her to be there. Waldron has since filed a motion to withdraw as Mezzacappa's lawyer. President Judge Michael J Koury, Jr., also issued a bench warrant. After spending a night at Lehigh County's jail, she has learned the hard way that when a judge orders you to appear, you better be there.

West Easton blogger Matt Dees and I both wrote about her failure to appear and the bench warrant. This is how she responded, in CAPSLOCK:

 "TO THE LYING , RACE BAITING PATHOLOGICAL STALKERS OHARE AND SIDEKICK DEES WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ME AROUND FOR 10 YEARS AND INCESSENTLY [sic] LYING AND DEFAMING ME AND MY FAMILY...IF YOU SPENT 10% OF YOUR TIME WORRYING ABOUT YOUR OWN PATHETIC LONLEY [sic] SELVES , AND TRYING TO IMPROVE YOUR NON-EXISTENT LIVES, YOU WOULDN'T BE WORRYING ABOUT MINE! 10 PLUS YEARS AND COUNTING AND THE TWO OF YOU STILL CANT FIGURE OUT WHY THERE ISNT A SINGLE SOLITARY WOMAN ALIVE (DEAF OR BLIND) ON EARTH THAT WANTS ANYTHING TO DO WITH EITHER ONE OF YOU...TAKE A LONG HARD LOOK IN THE MIRROR TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, OR BET YET (IT WILL SHATTER) , GO BURY YOUR UGLY FACES IN A BLANKET AND CRY. YOU WERE PAID BY MY FAMILY TO HIT THE ROAD AND GET A LIFE, BUT YOU HAVE NONE! EVERYWHERE YOU GO THERE YOU ARE. !! PRIVATE CRIMINALS FILED TODAY AGAINST BOTH YOU ASSHOLES!!!!! LET THE FUN BEGIN!! ... WE'LL SEE WHO WINDS UP IN JAIL, AND ITS NOT GOING TO BE ME, SO STUFF IT BITCHES!"

Looks like she wound up in jail. She was picked up Tuesday night, at or near Lehigh Valley Mall. She spent the night as a guest of Lehigh County's five star jail, and was transported Wednesday morning to face Judge Paula Roscioli in Motions Court. 

I have no idea what half-assed explanation she gave. Judge Roscioli set bail at $1,000,conditioned on posting 10% cash.  In other words, $100. Mezzacappa, now a guest at Northampton County's Jail in Tower A, had to wait a few hours for her wallet and belongings before posting bail.

She received a well-deserved attitude adjustment. Her trial is now scheduled for November 30. 

Incidentally, according to the Pa. Crimes Code, "A person set at liberty by court order, with or without bail, upon condition that he will subsequently appear at a specified time and place, commits a misdemeanor of the second degree if, without lawful excuse, he ails to appear at that time and place."

The crime of false reports is only a third degree misdemeanor, just one step above a summary. She could now also be charged with failure to appear. This carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a fine of $5,000.