Witness recants in Pa. man's child abuse appeal

Witness recants in Pa. man's child abuse appeal

The Associated Press

EBENSBURG, Pa. - A witness has recanted testimony that helped convict a Johnstown man of child sex abuse charges in 1987.

The witnesses testified Thursday for 55-year-old Allen Ross who is trying to get his conviction overturned. He's serving a 40- to 80-year state prison sentence.

One woman, who was 7 at the time, says she falsely testified that Ross sexually abused her because she wanted to see him out of the residence where it occurred. The woman says Ross may have been physically abusive, however.

An investigator hired by Ross says a second woman, a 16-year-old baby sitter at the time, claimed she was badgered into testifying against Ross by a former Johnstown police officer. But that woman denied making those statements when she testified Thursday.

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