“Philadelphia Woman Accused of Fatally Stabbing Man with Blade in Cane Faces Evidence of Prior Attack: Homicide Trial”

– “Wrongful actions committed by woman charged with Ardmore cane blade slaying”
– “Acts committed by woman charged with Ardmore cane blade slaying”.

Accident – death – Obituary News : Norristown, PA – A Philadelphia woman, Renee D. DiPietro, is facing trial for the fatal stabbing of Michael Sides in Ardmore last year. DiPietro is accused of using a 16-inch blade concealed in a cane to stab Sides during a fight between her son, Jason, and his ex-girlfriend. Prosecutors are seeking to introduce evidence of a prior incident in which DiPietro allegedly swung a baseball bat at her son’s ex-girlfriend during an argument. They argue that this evidence is crucial to establishing DiPietro’s intent, motive, and malice in the fatal stabbing.

According to court documents, the alleged incident took place in April 2023 when DiPietro overhead an argument between her son and his ex-girlfriend. She quickly came downstairs, picked up a bat, and swung it at the girlfriend, threatening her not to talk to her son disrespectfully. Prosecutors believe that this prior incident demonstrates DiPietro’s hostility and vindictiveness towards anyone who disrespects or insults her son. They argue that it provides context for her alleged actions on June 10, 2023, when she fatally stabbed Sides.

Deputy District Attorney Brianna Leigh Ringwood and co-prosecutor Bradley Walter Deckel argue that the evidence of the prior incident is essential to rebut the defense’s claim that the stabbing was an accident or the unintended result of an impulsive act. They believe it shows that DiPietro deliberately made decisions that night, disregarding the serious risk she was creating, out of spite and retaliation for perceived disrespect.

The defense, represented by Louis R. Busico, plans to argue self-defense at trial and is challenging the admission of evidence regarding the prior incident. Busico contends that DiPietro did not swing a bat at her son’s ex-girlfriend and argues that such evidence is not probative and unduly prejudicial against his client.

The trial is set to begin next week, and Judge Wendy G. Rothstein may hold a hearing to address the admissibility of the prior incident evidence. DiPietro, who previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, is currently free on bail.

If convicted, DiPietro faces up to 40 years in prison for third-degree murder and up to 5 years for involuntary manslaughter. The autopsy determined that Sides died from a stab wound to the chest, and his death was ruled a homicide.

The investigation into the incident began on June 10, 2023, when police responded to a report of a stabbing at an intersection in Ardmore. Sides was found unresponsive and bleeding from his upper torso. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The investigation revealed that an altercation had occurred earlier at a bar, during which a friend of Sides was assaulted by Jason DiPietro. Sides had expressed his intent to confront the person responsible for the assault before the fatal encounter.

Witnesses and video surveillance footage captured the events leading up to the stabbing. It is alleged that Renee DiPietro, along with her husband, arrived at the scene in a white sedan. During a physical altercation between Jason and Sides, Renee exited the vehicle and struck Sides with a black cane that fell apart. She then allegedly continued to strike him after he fell to the ground. The DiPietro family attempted to conceal their identity by flattening the license plate on their vehicle.

During interviews with detectives, Michael DiPietro claimed self-defense, stating that Sides had come looking for trouble and got it. Renee DiPietro admitted to carrying a bladed walking cane for protection and claimed to have brought it with her that night. Detectives recovered the weapon and found the flattened license plate on the family’s vehicle.

The trial will determine whether DiPietro’s actions were a deliberate act of violence or a result of self-defense. The prosecution seeks to establish her motive and intent through evidence of the prior incident, while the defense will argue that her actions were justified given the circumstances. The trial is expected to be closely watched by the community as it unfolds in Norristown..

1. “Ardmore cane blade slaying committed by woman charged with Prior wrong or act”
2. “Prosecutors seek presentation of Prior wrong or act in Ardmore cane blade slaying case”.