Judge in Wilkinsburg shooting case jails man accused of intimidating juror

The judge presiding over the 2016 Wilkinsburg mass shooting trial jailed a man Thursday morning who he said tried to intimidate a juror.

Lonnie Jenkins, 37, will serve six months in jail for comments Judge Edward J. Borkowski said he made Wednesday while surveillance footage played in the trial of Cheron Shelton.

Jenkins’ relationship to the case was not made clear by the court.

Additionally, the juror who reported the incident was removed from the jury. She was an alternate.

“Jenkins positioned himself, despite much open seating, in close proximity to (the juror) and made remarks,” Borkowski said.

He said the juror felt as though the remarks were directed at her, and she said Jenkins was staring at her as he made them.

One remark included, “Ain’t that some (expletive)” while the video played. Borkowski said the juror reported trying to ignore Jenkins but he kept talking.

Court staff and sheriff’s deputies interviewed the woman, who told them she wished Jenkins would move.

“There were five empty seats,” she told deputies. “He chose to sit there.”

David O’Bara, who was appointed to represent Jenkins, asked Borkowski to release Jenkins from jail and rather bar him from further trial proceedings.

“I apologize to anybody who felt any type of way,” Jenkins said.

Borkowski, however, said Jenkins willfully disrupted the court process and cost the court time and resources.

“Her right to serve as a juror was compromised,” he said.