RIDGWAY — Elk County teenagers Raymond James “RJ” Lambert, 19,
and Stephen Gail Hall, 18, were sentenced in Elk County Court of
Common Pleas on Friday to life in state prison for their 2008
murder of Timothy Finucan.

A jury had found the men guilty in February; sentencing was
Friday. They are currently inmates at the state prison in
Marienville.

During the trial, testimony revealed that the pair had planned
to rob the 50-year-old Sigel resident of painkillers, guns or
money. Hall was to ask the victim for help with his vehicle, while
Lambert hid behind the house, armed with Hall’s gun. The plan went
awry when the victim answered the door at 3 a.m. carrying his own
weapon. Seeing that, Lambert shot Finucan twice. Hall ran after the
first shot.

A neighbor discovered the victim’s body Aug. 20, 2008.

The defendants were brought in separately for sentencing.

Lambert had been convicted of murder in the first degree; two
counts of criminal attempt to commit robbery; criminal conspiracy
to commit robbery; and criminal conspiracy to commit burglary. Hall
had been convicted of murder in the second degree as an accomplice;
two counts of criminal attempt to commit robbery; criminal
conspiracy to commit robbery; and criminal conspiracy to commit
burglary. Each offense is a first-degree felony.

The charge of murder in the first degree carries a mandatory
life sentence, Elk County Court of Common Pleas President Judge
Richard Masson explained. The conspiracy charges were all merged
for sentencing purposes.

“I would just like to apologize to the (victim’s) family,”
Lambert said. “It didn’t have to go down like that. I am sure he
didn’t deserve that. At that time it didn’t matter, but now,
looking back, it’s unreal to me to take someone’s life.”

The judge read from the pre-sentence report that Lambert was a
single, high school graduate with no dependents, no military
service; no medical conditions; a lengthy juvenile record; and is
serving time now for a burglary in Forest County. According to the
report, Lambert had helped put siding on Finucan’s house.

Masson said to Lambert, “Drug usage was very prevalent in your
life. It started out with marijuana and moved onto opiates … I am
aware by feature of the pre-sentence report that drug usage
continued to increase and really became probably all-consuming
around the time of this incident.”

The judge said he had read letters of support for Lambert,
including one from the victim’s sister, Carol Finucan Chesney. He
also noted that the defendant’s mother suffered from lupus and died
in March 2009.

“I have no doubt that you, as most 18-year-olds, have potential.
Many doors open to them, many paths they can follow,” Masson said.
“Granted, your path is very narrow, but you still have potential
(things) to take advantage of, including to take part in drug and
alcohol treatment and education. Your potential is restricted … and
the focus will be much narrower than most 18 year olds’.”

He added that now Lambert has the ability to step back and look
at his actions to realize the consequences. He said that a teenage
brain is like a sports car, with very poor brakes. “I think we are
probably seeing an example of that here, with whatever stopping
mechanism that should have been in you wasn’t operational,” Masson
said. “Maybe it hadn’t fully developed. For whatever reason, your
thought processes in the planning and carrying out, nothing was in
place that led you to take a step back from it and see what the
consequences of your actions might be.”

Masson took a moment before handing down the mandatory life
sentence to let his words sink in. Lambert’s family and friends
began to cry when the words were read out loud.

Lambert was also ordered to pay the costs of prosecution of
$4,253.61 and restitution of $147.50 to the Punxsutawney-based
state police. The judge ordered no fine be imposed and waived the
cost of DNA testing as an undue hardship. Lambert was given credit
for time served.

When he had the opportunity to speak, co-defendant Hall said, “I
would just like to apologize to Mr. Finucan’s family.” Hall’s
parents Gail and Rhonda Hall both spoke on his behalf and made
tearful pleas that Masson take into consideration that their son
was honest from the beginning and that he was a good boy.

“I apologize for his actions,” Gail Hall said through his tears.
“I am sorry, guys.”

Rhonda Hall said she felt that the police lied to her son and
never told him he was being arrested for murder: “They never once
said that he was being charged with murder, which they knew …
Stephen thought he was going to be a witness, so he had no reason
to lie.” She also claimed that the recording made of his confession
was turned off and parts were missing.

The judge told them that, while he took their words into
consideration, as well as the letter from Hall’s grandmother, he
had to give equal weight to the victim’s sister’s letter as
well.

“There is no alternative in sentencing for murder in the second
degree/accomplice, however, it is a mandatory life sentence.

“At the time of the incident, you had completed the 10th grade.
You were in 11th grade when you were arrested,” the judge said.
Masson noted that in the mental health area, Hall had attention
deficit/hyperactive disorder and a prior juvenile history of
criminal mischief as well as theft by unlawful taking, which he
felt was “some indication of a troubled youth who had trouble
conforming to the rules of the community. Although none were crimes
of violence, they also are an indication that you did not have the
mechanism in place to think things out. You did not have the
ability to forecast what might happen and unfortunately what did
happen was worst. Someone lost their life.

“I can understand and appreciate that your life had promise,”
Masson continued, but said the state Legislature had tied his hands
in this case. He advised Hall to avail himself of all the
educational and training opportunities available, as well as the
drug and alcohol treatment programs. He urged him to complete his
education.

Hall was sentenced to life in prison as well as costs of
$3,431.13 and restitution of $147.50 to the state police. He
ordered no fine be imposed and waived the cost of DNA testing as an
undue hardship. He was given credit for time served.

Hall’s attorney, George Daghir, asked that his client remain in
Elk County for the 10 days to allow access to prepare their
post-sentence motions. Masson granted the request and ordered that
the Elk County Sheriff defer transporting the defendant until the
10 days have elapsed.