Trial begins for man charged with killing McKeesport officer

Johnathan Morris’ lawyer says her client will claim insanity and self-defense.

By PAULA REED WARD
TribLive

McKeesport EMT Tyler Soubeyrand was at his station the afternoon of Feb. 6, 2023, doing paperwork when he heard radio traffic that shots had been fired and an officer was down.

Before dispatchers even told them to go, he, his chief and crew members for three ambulances were racing to the scene in the 1300 block of Grandview Avenue just a mile away.

When they arrived, Soubeyrand told a jury Monday, he saw Officer Charles Thomas draped over Officer Sean Sluganski, protecting him.

“‘Slug’ was laying on his back,” the EMT said, using Sluganski’s nickname. “Chuck was over top of him screaming.”

Chief Bill Miller, who heads the ambulance service, testified that even as Thomas laid across Sluganski, he had his weapon drawn in a “protective position.”

Miller was able to give Thomas, who had been shot in the face, instructions to move off of Sluganski, and then he turned his attention to treating the fatally wounded officer.

In the brief time he assessed him, Miller said, Sluganski took two or three final breaths.

Then, Miller testified, the officer had no pulse and stopped breathing.

Miller and Soubeyrand, who had just spoken to Sluganski an hour earlier, began chest compressions and took the mortally wounded officer to UPMC McKeesport.

Sluganski died a short time later.

The emergency medical workers were among the first eight witnesses called on Monday during the opening day of trial for accused shooter Johnathan Morris.

Morris, 34, is charged with nine counts, including criminal homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault and murder of a law enforcement officer.

His trial, before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Bruce Beemer, is expected to run through the rest of the month.

‘I’m shot in the face’

Allegheny County Deputy District Attorney Ryan Kiray began his 15-minute opening statement to the jury quoting Thomas’ frantic radio call at 12:28 p.m.

“‘I’m shot in the face. I’m shot in the face,’” the officer shouted.

Kiray then described to the jury the sequence of events that unfolded in the 17 minutes leading up to that moment.

Morris’ mother, Candace Tyler, a former McKeesport police officer, called 911 just after noon that day. She said her son was having a PTSD episode and was acting out.

She wanted help getting him involuntarily committed for psychiatric care.

But when Sluganski and Thomas arrived, Morris had already left his mom’s house on foot, Kiray said.

They saw which way Morris was heading, and Thomas — still in his patrol car — approached and offered to take him to the VA hospital, the prosecutor continued.

Morris responded with an expletive and kept walking.

Sluganski and Thomas continued to follow. At one point, Kiray said, Morris jumped over the hood of Thomas’ car.

Then, a short time later, when Thomas went to exit his car, Kiray continued, Morris began firing — first at Thomas and then at Sluganski.

Sluganski was struck in the torso and just under his left clavicle.

As the officers went down, Morris ran, stopping at a nearby parking lot. Lt. Robert Eastman encountered him there, Kiray said. Morris claimed to the lieutenant he was a victim before pulling a gun and firing additional shots at Eastman, the prosecutor continued.

Police said Morris fired a total of six shots. Eastman returned fire.

Officers took Morris, who was wounded, into custody.

Anticipating the defense’s opening statement, Kiray preemptively addressed Morris’ mental health.

“An individual can both be mentally ill and criminally responsible for their actions,” Kiray said.

Morris, he continued, knew what he was doing that day.

“The defendant, simply, did not want to receive treatment.”

Kiray urged the jury to find Morris guilty.

Morris’ defense

Morris’ attorney, Carmen Robinson, told the jury during her opening that her client would offer two defenses during the trial.

First, she said, is insanity.

The second, Robinson continued, is justification. She told the panel that Morris fired on Thomas that day out of self-defense.

“Yes, self-defense against officers,” Robinson, a former Pittsburgh police sergeant, continued. “I said it.”

Robinson presented the picture of a young man who had been honorably discharged from the U.S. Marines, who did a seven-month deployment in Afghanistan and developed PTSD.

During that time, she continued, Morris was the victim of hazing by his fellow Marines. They stuffed him in a locker, she said, and locked it, trapping him inside just before the camp took on mortar fire.

Morris, Robinson said, is a 100% disabled veteran.

“You’ll hear about his delusions — the police are going to kill him,” she said.

They started before the day of the shooting, Robinson told the jury.

‘Psychotic break’

The defense attorney said Morris’ mother wanted him to be involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward that day. Morris had not committed a crime, and the police had no right to pursue him, she said.

“Isn’t he free to flee because he’s scared?” Robinson asked. “Nobody told him to stop.”

She told the jury that when Thomas was following Morris that day, he struck him with his patrol car twice, revving the engine and driving on the sidewalk.

“Imagine if you’re having a psychotic break and your delusion — that your mother and brother and then police, (want) to kill you,” Robinson said.

When Morris fired, she continued, he saw Thomas’ car still coming at him.

“He’s already been hit twice,” Robinson said. Her client, she said, was responding to the officer’s excessive use of force.

The prosecution will resume its case this morning.