In his first interview since a Westmoreland jury acquitted him of perjury and gun possession charges, state Sen. Robert Regola described the case against him as a “witch hunt.”

“It’s a big relief. I’m happy for the outcome and want to commend the jury of 12 men and women who deserve a lot of credit for seeing this was nothing more than a political prosecution,” Regola said Wednesday.

“I said throughout this terrible, terrible tragedy that I was innocent of any wrongdoing, and that never changed in the year and a half my family and I have been going through this. But I’ve always felt I was wrongfully accused and the charges filed against me were unfounded,” Regola said.

The Hempfield Republican is seeking a second term, running against Dr. Tony Bompiani, a Youngwood chiropractor and a former Hempfield Area school director.

Last week, Regola, 45, was acquitted of all charges, ending the criminal prosecution that followed the July 2006 suicide of his 14-year-old neighbor, Louis Farrell, with a handgun owned by Regola.

“This was a horrible tragedy. Louis was like a son to my wife, Jan, and me, and we continue to feel for the (Farrell) family,” he said.
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