Testimony to Begin in Trial of Man Who Shot 2 PA Officers
Ken [NY)
Pittsburgh, PA - 4/9/2003
By Jim McKinnon
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Staff Writer
A jury has been seated and testimony should begin today in the trial
of a Homewood man who shot two Pittsburgh police officers, feigning an
attempted suicide before he turned his weapon on the policemen last
year.
Cecil Brookins, 47, is charged with six counts each of attempted
homicide, aggravated assault and weapons violations, as well as four
counts of reckless endangerment in connection with the Feb. 20, 2002,
incident.
Police, acting on a tip, had gone to Brookins' Hermitage Street home
to serve a search warrant that day. Instead of surrendering, Brookins
climbed out an upper-floor window onto his roof, where he temporarily
holed up.
Brandishing a 9 mm pistol, Brookins threatened to shoot himself until
police Cmdr. Dom Costa and other negotiators coaxed him back inside.
He left the pistol on the chimney outside.
The officers at the time believed Brookins was giving up until he
pulled another weapon, a .38-caliber revolver, from his waistband and
began firing, police said.
Several slugs struck the bulletproof vests of Officer Thomas Huerbin,
a member of the tactical response unit, and Costa, who headed that
squad. One of the rounds also struck Costa in a shoulder unprotected
by the vest.
Officer Patrick Knepp, who had been standing behind Costa and Huerbin,
returned fire, his slugs striking Brookins several times.
Assistant District Attorney Bruce Beemer and defense attorneys Charles
Porter and Ernest Sharif will present arguments on pretrial motions
this morning before Common Pleas Judge Donna Jo McDaniel swears in the
jury of eight women and two men.
Testimony will begin after opening statements by attorneys for both
sides.
Ken (NY)
Chairman,
Department Of Redundancy Department
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