Pubdate: Tue, 13 Sep 2005
Source: Star-Ledger (NJ)
Copyright: 2005 Newark Morning Ledger Co
Contact:  http://www.nj.com/starledger/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/424
Author: Matthew J. Dowling
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

PAIR ADMIT ROLE IN HEROIN DEATH

They Waited An Hour Before Getting Help

Two Hunterdon County women pleaded guilty yesterday to manslaughter charges 
in the July 2002 death of their friend, admitting they failed to seek help 
for more than an hour after they knew he was overdosing on heroin.

The plea deal struck with prosecutors calls for Erica Poch, 22, of Clinton 
Township and Christine Curtin, 24, of High Bridge to be sentenced to three 
years each in state prison. In exchange, a first- degree charge of strict 
liability in a drug-induced death, which carries a potential 20-year prison 
term, will be dropped.

Poch and Curtin admitted during separate appearances before Superior Court 
Judge Roger Mahon that they were with Leonardo DiPasquale, 18, of Califon 
on July 6 when he suggested they travel to Somerset County to buy heroin.

Curtin made the arrangements to get the drugs while Poch drove the three 
friends to make the purchase.

"Where did the money come from to get the heroin?" Curtin's lawyer, Robert 
Corbin, asked his client during the guilty plea hearing.

"Leo," Curtin replied.

Curtin and Poch admitted that it was obvious DiPasquale was suffering a 
drug overdose soon after he ingested the heroin.

"Did you drive around with him for an hour before anything was done?" 
Corbin asked.

"Yes," Curtin replied. Poch provided a similar account as she pleaded 
guilty to manslaughter before Mahon.

After an hour, they contacted DiPasquale's parents and arranged to meet 
them in a parking lot. They told his parents DiPasquale had taken a 
combination of Xanax and alcohol. DiPasquale's parents took him home and 
put him to bed. He was pronounced dead the next morning.

DiPasquale's parents were also indicted on manslaughter charges in their 
son's death based on allegations they were negligent for not immediately 
taking him to a hospital, but that case was dismissed in 2003.

Poch and Curtin are free on bail until their sentencing, which is scheduled 
for Nov. 4. Both women must serve at least two years and five months of 
their three-year terms before being eligible for parole.

Poch already has seven months of jail time credit from her initial arrest 
before she made bail, according to Assistant Hunterdon County Prosecutor 
Katharine Errickson.

At the time of DiPasquale's death, he was out on bail awaiting trial on 
drug charges linked to another heroin overdose death. DiPasquale was one of 
three people charged following the death of Gregory Baltz, 17, of High 
Bridge, in January 2002.

Brandon Scott Winters, of Phillipsburg, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 
Baltz's death in exchange for a seven-year state prison term. He is serving 
his sentence at Bayside State Prison in Cumberland County. The third person 
pleaded guilty to a drug distribution charge.
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