Homicide trial delayed for Sunbury man accused of shooting man outside bar

Sunbury, Pa. — The Northumberland County District Attorney appealed a judge's ruling Monday on a Sunbury man's homicide case based on the Pennsylvania Stand Your Ground Law.

Randy Chain Easton, 43, was supposed to have jury selection followed by a trial this week, but that is now delayed. Easton is accused of killing Joseph Rice, 33, in September 2022 during an argument near Laughter's Bar in Sunbury. Rice was armed with a machete when Easton fired at him several times with a 9 mm handgun, including a fatal shot to the back.

District Attorney Mike O'Donnell appealed Judge Michael Toomey's ruling on Monday.

"The court ruled that we were not able to submit evidence of Defendant’s disqualifying firearm conviction. Under Pennsylvania Stand Your Ground Law, if you are in unlawful possession of a firearm, you have a duty to retreat. Defendant's conviction is relevant to his duty to retreat prior to employing deadly force," O'Donnell wrote in an email.

O'Donnell's appeal of the ruling was filed to the state Commonwealth Court. This could cause the trial to be delayed for months.

Sunbury Police arrested Easton after he allegedly shot and killed Rice around 2:30 a.m. Sept. 25, 2022 in the parking lot of the bar at Third Street and Raspberry Aven. Witnesses told police Rice had taken MCMA, or "Molly," and was agitated as he sat in his car in the bar's parking lot. Rice began waving a machete and eventually pushed one of the female witnesses up against his car and pushed the point of the blade to her nose, according to court documents.

Police pulled surveillance video from the area which showed Easton coming outside of the bar and arguing with Rice. Easton had an ongoing dispute with Rice, according to police. Easton pulled out a gun and fired three shots at Rice as he ran down Raspberry Avenue, hitting Rice once in the back.

Easton was charged with homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, possessing an instrument of a crime, and illegal possession of a firearm.