Pittsburgh Police Officers involved in shocking Jim Rogers with a Taser appeared before a grand jury

PITTSBURGH — Grand jury proceedings are secretive and the Pittsburgh Police officers and their attorneys who appeared Thursday morning at the grand jury hearing aren’t talking about what happened behind closed doors.

Target 11 was there as four officers, one of them retired, left the building after going before the grand jury. It’s unclear if any of them testified or if they invoked the fifth amendment against self-incrimination.

Officer Keith Edmonds left first with his attorney Mike Machen. They did not respond to Earle’s questions.

The grand jury is investigating whether any officers should face criminal charges in connection with Rogers’ death.

Edmonds encountered Rogers on a Bloomfield Street last October while responding to a report about a stolen bicycle.

Police said Rogers was noncompliant and Edmonds proceeded to stun him with a Taser at least ten times, according to sources close to the investigation.

Part of the encounter was captured on cellphone video by a neighbor.

Officers were also wearing body cameras, but that video has not been made public.

Rogers was detained on the ground at the scene and then transported by police to UPMC Mercy. According to an internal report, he went into cardiac arrest on the way the hospital, but officers thought he had fallen asleep. Edmonds, who was following the transport vehicle, began CPR outside the hospital, and doctors then took over. Rogers died at the hospital the next day.

An internal police investigation said that officers used excessive force and failed to get Rogers medical assistance. According to the report, Rogers repeatedly asked for help and said he couldn’t breathe.

The city has recommended firing Edmonds and seven other officers for allegedly violating policies and procedures.

Officer Pat Desaro and Officer Greg Boss, who drove Rogers to the hospital, also appeared before the grand jury.

Desaro walked out with his attorney, Lee Rothman, and they both had nothing to say.

Attorney Bob Delgreco, who represents Boss, declined to say if his client testified.

“Matters in front of the grand jury are private and protected and therefore comments are inappropriate,” said Delgreco.

Retired Lt. Matt Gauntner, the highest-ranking officer on scene that day in Bloomfield, was also subpoenaed to appear before the grand jury.

He retired from the department before disciplinary action was handed down.

Gauntner and his attorney Tina Miller both declined to comment on the way out.

A handful of other officers have been subpoenaed to appear before the same grand jury at a later date.

The city is moving to fire eight officers. They now face a hearing before the public safety director, who will ultimately decide if the firings are justified. At that point, the officers’ employment would be terminated and they would be removed from paid administrative leave. They could then still appeal the firings to an arbitrator.

Target 11 reported Wednesday that two of the officers had continued to report to duty and respond to calls even though they had been given a five-day suspension, pending termination. After Target 11 started asking questions about those officers still working, the city placed them on paid administrative leave.

Target 11: Officers suspended in Pittsburgh tasing death investigation continued to report to work

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