Alleged Lansdale Landlord-Knife-Attacking Tenant Heads to Trial

Franklin Street basement tenant William Keith Kane, 23, of Lansdale, will not face a felony charge of aggravated assault in Montgomery County court in May for allegedly assaulting and threatening his landlord with a knife and tire iron.

The charge was dismissed at a preliminary hearing Thursday morning in Lansdale District Court. All other charges against Kane were held by District Judge Harold Borek: misdemeanor possessing an instrument of crime, three counts of misdemeanor simple assault, misdemeanor reckless endangerment and summary harassment.

Kane has been free on 10 percent of $10,000 bail since March 19, according to court records.

Kane allegedly assaulted his landlord with a knife one day, and allegedly threatened him with a tire iron the next day, according to a court affidavit. 

It was all because the landlord wanted the back rent from Kane. When Kane refused, the landlord asked for the keys. Kane allegedly had enough.

Prior to all this, the landlord wanted Kane to stop having guests over and to clean up his vomit from the basement apartment, according to court records.

Kane lived in the basement at 400 Franklin St., police said, since December 2012. The homeowner was Kane's landlord.

According to the affidavit, the landlord told police that Kane was behind on his rent and he discovered Kane's living area in the basement was "a mess" and "smelled."

Kane had been sick and had spit and thrown up all over the place, according to the complaint. Kane also allegedly had guests over, which was against the rules, according to the affidavit.

On March 8, 2013, the landlord approached Kane with a list of money owed. He also asked Kane to open the windows and air out and clean up the room, according to the complaint.

Kane then allegedly grabbed a knife and "raised it up in a striking fashion," while walking toward the homeowner.

"He said he was so shocked that Kane had a knife. He didn't know where he grabbed it from," said the affidavit.

Kane screamed that he wasn't going to pay the rent and he was allegedly going to kill him, police said.

The homeowner told police he told Kane "20 times" to put the knife down. The homeowner was afraid Kane was going to kill him, police said.

The homeowner grabbed Kane's arm and wrestled it away, getting cut on the top of his hand and thumb in the process, police said.

He fled upstairs from Kane, and locked the door separating living spaces, police said.

The next morning, on March 9, Kane left the house, police said.

The homeowner went into the basement, grabbed Kane's stuff and placed it outside, according to the complaint. During the collection of Kane's items, the knife was found, police said.

The homeowner confiscated the 3-inch knife, its leather sheath and brought it to Lansdale Police, according to the affidavit.

Kane returned home, upon which the homeowner asked for Kane's house keys.

Kane refused and allegedly "pulled out" a tire iron and threatened to kill the homeowner, police said.

The man fled inside and called police. 

Upon arrival, Kane was gone.

A felony warrant was originally issued against Kane for the alleged assault at the same address, police said, but Kane eventually turned himself in to police. Police believed Kane was in the Boyertown area.

Kane was criminally charged in October 2009 for misdemeanor use and possession of drug paraphernalia and summary purchasing alcohol beverages by a minor, according to court records. The latter charge was withdrawn at a preliminary hearing.

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