Local lawmakers call for removal of local magistrate following death of liquor enforcement officer

PITTSBURGH — Local lawmakers are calling for the removal of a Pittsburgh-area Magisterial District Judge after an off-duty liquor enforcement agent was stabbed and killed on the Montour Trail.

RELATED COVERAGE >>> Man stabbed, killed on Montour Trail was Liquor Enforcement Officer for Pennsylvania State Police

State Sen. Devlin Robinson says he will ask House members to introduce articles of impeachment to remove Magisterial District Judge Xander Orenstein. State Rep. Anita Kulik is calling for Orenstein to resign and for a full investigation by the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court.

The reason for this call for removal is Orenstein’s decision to give Anthony Quesan, 25, non-monetary bail after he was arrested for an alleged assault at Point State Park in June 2023.

RELATED COVERAGE >>> Man rescued by emergency crews after allegedly mugging someone, jumping into Pittsburgh river

Quesan was arrested under an alias at the time, and Robinson says he never appeared for his preliminary hearing, which is corroborated by court records. He was on the run until Monday when he was accused of stabbing and killing Benjamin Brallier, 44, while he was jogging the Montour Trail.

Detectives have called the attack random, but Robinson disagrees with the notion.

“This isn’t a random incident. This is a pattern of judicial ineptitude and malfeasance that is now written in blood,” Robinson said. “I intend to seek articles of impeachment to get Xander Orenstein and his dangerous social agenda off the bench.”

“We owe it to Brallier to get to the bottom of the chain of events that led to the officer’s murder and a violent criminal on the streets,” Kulik said.

This isn’t the first time Orenstein’s decisions have come under scrutiny by public officials. There are three other incidents within a year that 11 Investigates has reported on.

RELATED COVERAGE >>> 11 Investigates Exclusive: Judge’s decision under scrutiny for 3rd time in less than a year

The most recent of those instances was when Orenstein released a high-speed chase suspect on non-monetary bond, even though the defendant was already out on a cash bond for a previous gun charge. The man then skipped his court date and was later arrested in Florida.

That was also the last incident before Orenstein was pulled from arraignments for “an indefinite period of time.”

RELATED COVERAGE >>> Local magistrate Xander Orenstein pulled from arraignments ‘until further notice,’ sources say

“Anthony Quesen should have been in jail, awaiting trial for a violent assault. Instead, he was free to roam the streets until he finally ended up killing a law enforcement officer,” Robinson said.

“This case requires in-depth examination to ensure our courts are protecting the people and delivering justice fairly,” Kulik said.

According to Robinson, the Pennsylvania Constitution provides for the removal of elected public officials. Articles of impeachment must be introduced in the state House, followed by a senate trial.

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