Source: Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, Citizens Voice
WILKES-BARRE, Penn -- The estate of a gay porn producer stabbed to death in his Dallas Township home has won a civil lawsuit filed against the man’s suspected killers.

Michael Kocis, the father of Bryan Kocis, filed suit in January against Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes. The two Virginia men are accused of killing Bryan Kocis, their rival in the gay porn industry, inside his home and then setting it on fire in January 2007.

Kocis, 44, was found dead by firefighters.

The suit filed in Common Pleas court claimed Cuadra and Kerekes entered Bryan Kocis’ home and “jointly” or “separately” caused Bryan Kocis’ death and destroyed the home and property, Wilkes-Barre Time-Leader reports.

Because neither of the suspects responded to the suit, a default judgement was entered against them and in favor of the estate, Michael Kocis’ attorney, Conrad Falvello said Tuesday.

The men are also facing homicide charges in the death. They remain jailed awaiting trial. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

On Monday, a Luzerne County judge scheduled the trial of Kerekes to begin Sept. 2. Cuadra was scheduled to appear before the judge for a pre-trial hearing today.

A flurry of legal challenges have been filed by attorneys for both suspects in the criminal trial, but Falvello said he has not even heard from any attorney on behalf of the men regarding the civil suit.

Unless they make a motion to reverse the default judgment in the civil suit, the case will proceed to a trial just to determine damages, Falvello told the Times-Leader.

Both suspects claim to be indigent and are represented in their criminal case by publicly funded attorneys.

Full article: Kocis estate wins suit against slaying suspects | | Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
Kerekes’ capital murder trial will begin Sept. 2 | Citizens Voice