Common Pleas judges remembers former District Attorney Panella

NEW CASTLE – For a lot of attorneys, a lot of their work and their dealings with clients are done behind closed doors.

During the years when William Panella was Lawrence County district attorney, the exact opposite was true.

Many remember Panella working at a desk, out in the open by the elevator between courtroom No. 1 and No. 2, talking to both the prosecution and defense.

Panella, who was the district attorney from January 1982 through January 1998, died on Feb. 16 at the age of 87.

A special remembrance court service was held Wednesday at the Lawrence County Government Center, which was hosted by Common Pleas Court President Judge Dominick Motto, Judge J. Craig Cox, Judge John Hodge and Senior Judge Thomas Piccione.

“Bill was a hardworking attorney that was very dedicated to his family,” Motto said.

Background and career path

Information on Panella’s life and career was available via a court resolution read by Cox, as well as from his obituary through the Ed & Don DeCarbo Funeral Home & Crematory.

Panella was born on Dec. 30, 1944, was raised and graduated high school in New Castle, and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War era.

On April 25, 1953, he married the late Mary Lou Groucutt, who passed away on Sept. 20, 2005. They have three children together – Sheila, Brian, and Kellie, and have nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Margaret Anderson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, and sister Maxine Dagan.

Panella graduated from the Akron School of Law in 1973.

He eventually started his own private practice, was a part of the New Castle School Board in 1978 and worked in the county public defender’s office before being elected district attorney.

Following his tenure as district attorney, Panella served on New Castle Council for 12 years, including a stint as council president. He was the city’s controller at his death.

Judge Cox remembers his close friend

Cox said he remembers when he graduated from law school and was beginning his career as an assistant district attorney for Lawrence County.

He said he met Panella through the public defender’s office, as the two would often argue cases against one another in court.

When Panella was elected district attorney, Cox admitted he was worried he would lose his position in the office.

To his surprise, not only did Panella ask Cox to remain as an ADA, but assigned him to a high-profile criminal homicide case, not too long after Panella was sworn into office.

“He took me under his wing,” Cox said of Panella.

He said Panella took him to all sorts of different events, whether it be trips to Philadelphia for district attorney conferences, to his many golf outings on Sundays. Cox said Panella would always pay for everything, and said one never got the chance to take their wallet out when they were with him.

He said he remembers his attire, stating he could be seen with what he described as a “Russian bear hat,” and a “Sherlock Holmes pipe.”

Cox also said since he was an avid sports fan, especially the Pittsburgh teams, there were plenty of cases where he would wear Pittsburgh Steelers ties to court.

Cox said Panella would take different trips every month with his wife, was very proud of his kids, talking about their accomplishments often, and was very close to his “courthouse family.”

Despite all that, Cox said Panella was very dedicated to his work, as one time Panella suffered a heart attack at the courthouse, and the first thing Panella told Cox at the hospital was him having to cancel and reschedule his appointments and court hearings.

He said Panella was very meticulous, working on the weekends to organize his trial and plea court lists, would work late into the evenings during the week, and even worked after his weekly golf outings on Sundays.

“He was an incredible guy. He was a good friend,” Cox said wiping away tears. “I really miss him.”

Judge Motto reflects on Panella

Judge Motto said he met and became friends with Panella at Akron, as Panella graduated six months ahead of him.

“That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” Motto said. “I learned a lot from him.”

Unlike Cox, Motto first worked with Panella in the public defender’s office, often working together on cases like homicides. Motto said Panella was a “very effective” cross-examiner.

Panella was the attorney that argued to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, in 1978, to abolish sovereign immunity, which was abolished in the decision Mayle v. Pennsylvania Department of Highways on July 14, 1978.

This overturned a state doctrine that said the state cannot commit a legal wrong and is immune from civil suit or criminal prosecution.

Motto said Panella was one of the first people he called to tell him about the decision, stating he felt honored Panella would talk to him about his case.

Motto said Panella was a great district attorney because he was so approachable, preferring to do his business out in the open.

He said the word “retirement” was not in his vocabulary, as he continued to work.

The last communication he ever received from Panella was about a month before his death, stating, as he was sick, he would be “stepping back” from his work, but never mentioned retiring.

Motto said he was a great lawyer, a great person, and a great friend.

“His passing is a great loss to all of us,” he said.

Other speakers

Motto read a letter from Panella’s friend Charles Mansell, an attorney in New Castle, who said as a district attorney, Panella was interested in every case and gave respect to everyone on both sides of the aisle.

“I was a better person because I knew Bill Panella,” Mansell said in his letter.

Hodge said he learned a lot from Panella, and said they were “neighbors” with each other, as their law offices were next to each other on Wilmington Road.

He said Panella worked tirelessly to either resolve or try every case he could.

“The county has been greatly enhanced by Bill,” Hodge said.

Piccione said Panella cared about people, stating he was struck by Panella’s compassion and empathy to others, and fulfilled his life to help his family and community.

On a personal note, Piccione said Panella’s children helped to babysit his children as they were growing up, stating they turned out better because Panella’s family was in their lives.

Nicholas Vercilla is a staff reporter for the Ellwood City Ledger. He can be reached at nvercilla@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ellwood City Ledger: Common Pleas judges remembers former District Attorney Panella