Mum's the word: Gag order in Tacony horror case

A JUDGE YESTERDAY issued a gag order on defense and commonwealth attorneys, victims and "any minors who may be witnesses" at trial in the Tacony dungeon case in which four mentally disabled adults were found locked in a dirty sub-basement last month.

Municipal Court President Judge Marsha Neifield issued the modified gag order at the request of the District Attorney's Office. She said the order was needed for a fair trial because of the amount of publicity in the case.

Neifield also granted a request by defense attorney George Yacoubian, who represents Linda Ann Weston, the alleged mastermind in the case, for a mental-health-competency evaluation to be conducted on Weston before the Dec. 19 preliminary hearing.

Weston, 51; her boyfriend, Gregory Thomas, 47; her daughter, Jean McIntosh, 32; and a self-proclaimed minister, Eddie Wright, 50, have been charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault and related offenses in connection with the four dungeon victims - Derwin McLemire, 42, of Albemarle, N.C.; Herbert Knowles, 40, of Norfolk, Va.; and Edwin Sanabria, 31, and Tamara Breeden, 29, both of Philadelphia.

In its motion, the D.A.'s Office said the four had been held "as virtual slaves for their government benefits" and "suffered physical and sexual assaults over a period of years . . . ."

Weston, McIntosh and Wright also have been charged in connection with a fifth victim - Beatrice Weston, 19, a niece of Weston's who was taken into protective custody Oct. 18 from a Frankford house.

The gag order relates to the five victims.

Amy Ginensky, an attorney at the Pepper Hamilton law firm who represents Philadelphia Media Network - the parent company of the Daily News, the Inquirer and Philly.com - told the judge yesterday that a gag order covering complainants and minors who may be witnesses is unique in Pennsylvania.

Ginensky said afterward that her firm plans to appeal the gag order.