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Suspect Accused Of Killing Officers Arraigned

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Jun 1, 2009 4:31 pm US/Eastern

Suspect Accused Of Killing Officers Arraigned

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The man who's accused of killing three Pittsburgh police officers nearly two months ago is one step closer to facing the charges in court at the trial in which prosecutors will seek the death penalty.

Since Richard Poplawski is already behind bars awaiting trial, he got the paperwork of today's formal arraignment in jail and learned that Judge Jeffrey Manning will preside over his trial.

Poplawski is awaiting trial for the murders of Pittsburgh Police Officers Eric Kelly, Paul Sciullo II and Stephen Mayhle. 

The officers were gunned down while responding to a domestic dispute at Poplawski's Stanton Heights home on April 4th.

According to the arraignment paperwork, the charges against Poplawski include: 3 counts of criminal homicide, 9 counts of attempted homicide, 9 counts of assault of a law enforcement officer, 1 count of possessing instruments of a crime, 2 counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied structure and 4 counts of recklessly endangering another person.

The formal paperwork also includes the strategy of the district attorney in pursuing the death penalty.

Three aggravating circumstances the jury will be asked to consider include the facts that:
  • A peace officer was killed
  • There was a grave risk of death of others and
  • There were multiple killings.
A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Friday morning in which attorneys for both sides hope to set a trial date.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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