City of Pittsburgh continues to fight reinstatement of officer fired in tasing death of Jim Rogers

PITTSBURGH — The City of Pittsburgh is continuing to fight the reinstatement of former police officer Keith Edmonds.

On Thursday in court, the Fraternal Order of Police argued that the city’s argument is “not sound.” This spring, the city appealed a judge’s decision to reinstate Edmonds, the officer who was involved in the fatal tasing of Jim Rogers.

This spring Pittsburgh officer Keith Edmonds was reinstated to the police force following this tasing that turned deadly.

In body-camera footage from Edmonds, you can see Rogers who allegedly stole a bicycle with his hands up being tased by Officer Edmonds, he then falls to the ground and is tased again. He then tries to run and is tased yet again. Rogers went into cardiac arrest and died at the hospital the next day.

Immediately following the incident, the five officers involved were fired and the city settled with Rogers’ family for $8 million.

However, after a lengthy investigation the city’s medical examiner deemed Roger’s death accidental, none of the officers were charged, one retired while three have been reinstated to the force.

The city is now blocking the final officer, Keith Edmonds from returning.

The mayor has repeatedly stood by the decision to fire all officers involved:

“We stand by the decision we made,” said Mayor Ed Gainey earlier this year when asked.

And Thursday in court the city argued that Edmonds violated several policies including acting outside of his authority. The city’s counsel also contested the proceedings of the previous arbitration raising concerns over the timing of Edmonds’ reinstatement, and signatures on the final agreement.

“The charges against him were not proven and now you want to act like a signature page causes an award to be overturned which is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” said Robert Swartzwelder the union president for Pittsburgh Police.

The city also made claims that the Fraternal Order of Police leaked the decision to the media before all parties could agree.

“The only thing that was released to them was the outcome, not the actual award,” Swrtzwelder said.

The city provided this statement following the hearing:

“We are aware that a procedural hearing regarding Officer Edmonds was held today. We remain committed to the highest standard of conduct for our police officers, and to holding officers who do not uphold that standard to account.”

No decision has been made following Thursday’s appeal hearing.

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