Johnstown man maintains his innocence in wife's homicide case

Feb. 14—EBENSBURG — Brian Bradley Giles appeared before Cambria County Judge Tamara Bernstein on Tuesday for a final status conference before jury selection and trial in his homicide case.

After moving through procedural items, Giles asked to address the court — the judge repeatedly advised him of his rights and cautioned him about making statements on the record.

"I'm an innocent man," he said. "I'd never hurt my wife."

Giles is accused in the death of his wife, Nancy Giles, who went missing from their Franklin Street apartment in Johnstown in October 2018.

Her skeletal remains were later found near the railroad tracks on the Inclined Plane hillside by a man using a metal detector.

Giles was arrested and charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault and hindering the investigation in May 2022.

The defendant is represented by court-appointed attorneys Timothy Burns and David Weaver.

However, on Tuesday, Giles asked Bernstein to remove Weaver from the case.

He alleged that Weaver has pushed him to take a plea, which Giles said he does not want to do because he's innocent.

Burns asked that it be put on the record that he's told his client that he doesn't have to take a plea deal.

Bernstein advised Giles of the capability of his counsel and denied his request.

Giles also asked for the discovery from his case so that he can review it again, alleging those documents were thrown out when t he Cambria County Prison guards searched his cell.

Those items will be provided to him, Bernstein said.

Jury selection in Giles' case is set for March 4 and 5, with the trial to start on March 11, according to court documents.