Common pleas judge blocks reinstatement of officer fired in tasing death of Jim Rogers

PITTSBURGH — An officer fired for repeatedly tasing Jim Rogers will not return to the Pittsburgh police force.

A judge blocked the reinstatement of Officer Keith Edmonds on Wednesday.

The union says the fight is not over. They will appeal the commonwealth court and claim the decision was a result of “local politics at play rather than a legal binding precedent.”

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Edmonds was fired for violating policies after the tasing death of Jim Rogers in Bloomfield in 2021. But an arbitrator ordered him reinstated.

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The city appealed that to common pleas court and Judge Alan Hertzberg overturned the arbitrator’s decision.

In the court order, the judge said there was overwhelming evidence Edmonds committed violations.

The also wrote there was no evidence that the city had not trained Edmonds and that the arbitrator deprived the city of due process by refusing to allow him to be cross examined on his taser training.

In a statement the president of the police union, Robert Swartzwelder, fired back, saying:

“The FOP is extremely disappointed that Judge Hertzberg deviated from the legal precedent of narrow certiorari when he vacated the arbitration panel award reinstating officer Edmonds. The FOP anticipates that either Commonwealth Court or the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will overturn Judge Hertzberg and reinstate the arbitrators award due to the blatant deviation from legal precedent. To insinuate that the panel was dishonest in any manner is professionally unethical and clearly without evidence. The medical evidence overwhelmingly demonstrated that Officer Edmonds did not cause the unfortunate death of Jim Rogers. It seems local politics are at play here rather than legal binding precedent.”

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Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey also weighed in on the decision saying a statement:

“Today, Common Pleas Court Judge Alan Hertzberg issued a ruling vacating an arbitration decision reinstating Keith Edmonds as a City of Pittsburgh police officer. Edmonds had been terminated by the City following an investigation into his role in the death of Jim Rogers. In his ruling, Judge Hertzberg determined that the “neutral arbitrator and FOP arbitrators deprived the City of its due process rights by dishonestly finding that police officer Keith Edmonds did not violate a City policy, rule or regulation, when he admitted that he did and when the evidence of violations was overwhelming. We’re thankful the court decision will allow the City of Pittsburgh to hold City employees responsible for their actions and ensure that every resident is treated with dignity and respect. We are hopeful that this ruling will allow us to close a painful chapter for all those involved in connection to the passing of Jim Rogers.”

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The police union is also arguing that Edmonds did not cause Roger’s death.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Bodycam video released of interactions between Jim Rogers, Pittsburgh police before, during tasing

The case will now be heard by a higher court.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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