WASHINGTON, Pa.,None — A man serving a life sentence for murder has dropped his appeal in a lawsuit claiming he was forced to be a jailhouse snitch for former Washington County District Attorney John Pettit.
Alexander Martos' attorney filed a brief request Friday asking the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court to drop his appeal of a lower court's decision last year to dismiss his lawsuit.
Martos sued in 2006, claiming Pettit promised him sexual visits and immunity for various jail offenses. Martos claimed he would lose privileges, and face false disciplinary charges and beatings by guards if he didn't testify against other inmates at Pettit's behest.
Pettit lost the November 2007 election after seven terms.
Martos is serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of Ira Swearingen, an Ohio medical consultant.
• E-Mail Newsletter: Get The Latest News Sent To Your E-Mail! • Mobile: Get WPXI Headlines On Your Phone, iPhone, More • RSS: Add Us To Your Page!