Death penalty dropped against Allegheny Township man in Blawnox workplace slaying

An Allegheny Township man won’t be facing a possible death penalty when he goes to trial on charges of killing his ex-girlfriend at their Blawnox workplace in March.

The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office rescinded its intention to seek the death penalty against Sean Black, 43, because of opposition from the victim’s family.

Prosecutors say the family believes seeking the death penalty would negatively impact their children’s well-being.

In May, prosecutors had sought the death penalty, alleging that Black killed Courtney Smith, 30, while perpetrating a felony, that he knowingly created a grave risk of death to another person, and that he has a significant history of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence.

But a filing submitted to President Judge Bruce R. Beemer this week said that “intervening events” led prosecutors to reconsider doing so.

“Specifically, the family of Courtney Smith has expressed its opposition to the commonwealth seeking the death penalty in this matter out of concern for the well-being of her children,” the filing said.

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Black and Smith worked at Tri-Axle Manufacturing Co. on Fountain Street.

According to a police investigation, the two had been in a relationship for several years and had three children together. They had separated and, according to authorities, Smith began dating another co-worker.

At 6:30 a.m. March 19, Black walked into work and confronted Smith, police said. The confrontation turned physical, and they began to wrestle outside the office of Smith’s supervisor when Black reached for a handgun, according to court records.

A witness reported Smith yelling, “Sean, no, no,” before Black shot her four or five times in the chest, then turning to shoot the co-worker two to three times, police said.

Smith died at the scene. The co-worker was wounded but survived.

Black in April waived a preliminary hearing on charges of homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and firearms counts.

The move by prosecutors means there potentially will be one less person on Pennsylvania’s death row, which has 96 people on it already.

The last execution in the state was in July 1999. Former Gov. Tom Wolf issued a moratorium on capital punishment in 2015, and Gov. Josh Shapiro has called on the Legislature to abolish the death penalty.