Charges of involuntary manslaughter against a 911 operator in Pennsylvania regarding a woman's death have been dropped.
Prosecutors dropped the involuntary manslaughter case against a 911 dispatcher in Pennsylvania, accused of not sending an ambulance to the home of a woman who later died due to internal bleeding.
Greene County District Attorney Brianna Vanata made the decision to end the case against Leon "Lee" Price after reading an investigator's report, which found that Price had no criminal culpability in the 2020 death of 54-year-old Diania Kronk.
"There was just no criminal liability here," said Vanata during a phone interview. She considered the move to bring charges two years post-death and shortly after Kronk's family filed a lawsuit to be an error by the previous district attorney, Dave Russo.
Price's lawyer, Timothy Ross, explained that the charges were a burden for his client, a long-time and trustworthy employee, and proclaimed his innocence. Price is currently rebuilding his standing in the community and eager to put this ordeal behind him.
Investigators claimed Price was hesitant to send help unless he had more convincing reasons that Kronk would actually attend the hospital, over 30 minutes from her home in Sycamore.
Vanata admitted her judgment was based on a memo by Greene County Regional Police Chief Zachary Sams from August 2020. The document stated that Price might not have received proper training. The investigator believed Price's actions were not enough to warrant a criminal charge.
During a phone call with Diania Kronk's youngest daughter, Kelly Titchenell, Price was heard questioning her for about four minutes about her mother's health and whether she was willing and able to go to the hospital. Titchenell informed him that her mother needed help, but had difficulty being located.
Titchenell was unable to contact her mother the following day, believing her uncle would soon visit. Kronk was found dead the next day.
Defending the charges, Russo asserted there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Price and accused Vanata's decision to drop the case of being based on political motivations.
On Vanata's request, the charges were rescinded by a judge on Monday, with the trial and jury selection scheduled for next week. She inquired about a plea bargain with Price, but he declined.
Titchenell doubts Vanata's motives for dismissing the case, suggesting that she eventually decided it would be too labor intensive for her.
"It feels like she wanted to avoid going to trial," she explained during a phone call. "There was so much for her to go through, and she might have been trying to evade the responsibility."
Vanata, whose tenure as district attorney started in January, claimed she studied the evidence thoroughly to come to her decision.
"I spent a great deal of time and energy on this case," she said. "It wasn't an easy decision."
Price lost his job in the call center and now works in maintenance for Greene County.
Vanata commented, "Mr. Price did lose his job. This has been a difficult ordeal for him. But I also feel terrible for the Kronk family who had to endure this for four years."
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In light of the decision to drop the charges, the Kronk family's lawyer may question the motives of District Attorney Brianna Vanata, stating, "It feels like she wanted to avoid going to trial." Later, discussing the case's outcome, Price mentioned, "Us [he and his family] are just glad this ordeal is behind us."
