Investigations into homeless man's death after being tased by Pittsburgh police nears completion | TribLIVE.com
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Investigations into homeless man's death after being tased by Pittsburgh police nears completion

Paula Reed Ward
| Wednesday, December 15, 2021 8:19 p.m.
Megan Guza | Tribune-Review
Supporters gather to demand justice for Jim Rogers, who died the day after he was tased by a Pittsburgh police officer on Oct. 13.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said Wednesday night that any potential disciplinary action against city police officers involved in the arrest of a homeless man who died after being tased will be handed out before he leaves office in three weeks.

A police spokeswoman confirmed that an internal investigation into the Oct. 13 incident in Bloomfield is nearing completion.

Peduto said he met Wednesday with Police Chief Scott Schubert, Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich, Deputy Police Chief Thomas Stangrecki and the city’s acting solicitor and they agreed they could meet that timetable to publicly report on the death of Jim Rogers, who died a day after he was tased by police investigating a reported theft.

“We will be taking any necessary disciplinary action based on our investigation before I leave office and making any necessary policy recommendations to the next administration so the chances of this happening in the future will be minimized,” Peduto said.

“Today’s meeting was to assure we are on schedule to provide that to the people of Pittsburgh,” the mayor added. “Our goal is to look at each of the parts, and we have done so fully, of what happened on that day and ask internally what could have been done to lead to a different (outcome).”

It has been two months since Rogers died, but the mayor said the length of the internal review has been based on the need to follow the collective bargaining agreement with the department and the chain of command.

“There are rules in place on the disciplinary side that we are required to follow,” Peduto said.

As for the criminal investigation, the Allegheny County Police Department, which was tasked with investigating the incident, confirmed Tuesday that it had turned over its findings to the district attorney’s office and had nothing left outstanding, said county spokeswoman Amie Downs.

District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said he needs more information before reaching a conclusion.

“We continue to wait for evidence from the city, the county and the medical examiner. Until such time as I can review that evidence, I cannot take a position,” Zappala said in a statement. “However, recognizing the inherent conflict involved in police agencies investigating themselves and each other, I have directed several of my detectives and staff members to work to bring the information surrounding the death of Jim Rogers to a point where I can speak about it to the public.”

“That being said, there are numerous other important issues that have been raised, several of which the mayor of the city of Pittsburgh could have addressed a long time ago but did not,” said Zappala, who did not elaborate.

Peduto said that anything that has been asked of the city by the DA’s office has been turned over within 24 hours of the request.

“If there are delays, they have not been on our end,” he said.

Downs said that autopsy results also are still pending from the medical examiner’s office.

Rogers, 54, died shortly after 10 a.m. Oct. 14, about a day after police were called to Harriet Street for a reported theft in progress.

Neighbors said that Rogers had taken a bicycle from someone’s front yard, rode it and then returned it.

After police arrived, investigators said Rogers “became noncompliant” as he was taken into custody.

An officer deployed his taser and Rogers was ultimately handcuffed. He became unresponsive while being taken to the hospital by police and was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. He died the next day.

Since then, Rogers’ family and community members have held several rallies demanding answers from the agencies involved in the investigation.

So far, they haven’t gotten any.

Neither, it seems, have the four Pittsburgh police officers and one supervisor who were placed on leave following the incident. Another supervisor, Lt. Matt Gaunter, who also was on leave, retired this week. His attorney, Tina Miller, did not return messages seeking comment.

Attorney Lee Rothman represents police Officer Pat DeSaro, who was called as backup and transported Rogers to the hospital.

“My client wasn’t involved in the initial event,” Rothman said.

Rothman said he has not received any information from law enforcement or prosecutors about where the investigation stands.

“We don’t know what the government is doing, and we don’t even know the cause of death,” he said. “We’re waiting to see if the government makes a decision to charge people or not charge people.”

Rothman also questioned why it has taken so long to determine a cause of death, given the public outcry.

“I represent someone because they’re concerned about an investigation and what could or could not happen,” Rothman said. “But we have no idea what the status is.”

Attorney Casey White represents Officer Leroy Schrock, who was called to the scene when the officers put out a distress call for assistance.

He arrived at the scene after Rogers had already been detained and placed in handcuffs.

“Officer Schrock remains on leave as the investigations continue,” White said. “Understanding a terribly tragic event occurred, he has been compliant and has cooperated with investigators and will continue to do so. Once all the investigations are concluded, we are confident that he will return to his duties as a Pittsburgh police officer.”


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