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Uncivil court prosecutor to apologize for dustup at hearing By Jonathan D. Silver Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Tuesday, May 17, 2005 An internal inquiry by the Allegheny County district attorney's office has determined that a deputy DA violated the courtroom code of civility during a May 6 argument with a public defender. Deputy District Attorney Mark Tranquilli plans to write a letter of apology to District Judge Rob Wyda, who was on the bench when Tranquilli and Assistant Public Defender James Sheets launched into an angry back-and-forth during a preliminary hearing for a homicide suspect. Tranquilli and Sheets were arguing before Wyda about whether the suspect should be granted bond when Tranquilli asked the defense attorney if he needed time to "sober up." Sheets shot back with profanities and told Tranquilli he would beat him up, all while family and friends of the homicide victim and suspect watched. "We have concluded that although [Tranquilli] may not have violated any rules of disciplinary conduct, he violated the rules of civility," District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said yesterday. Zappala said it was Tranquilli's idea to send Wyda a written apology. "As far as I'm concerned, at that point our process has concluded," Zappala said. Zappala had no comment on Sheets' conduct, and neither did Sheets' boss, Chief Public Defender Michael Machen. "We're looking into this matter, so it's a personnel issue, so basically I can't make any comment on it," Machen said. "I ascribe to the code of civility. That's all I can really say." The state Supreme Court adopted a code of civility in 2000 that sets down guidelines for attorneys' courtroom conduct. . . |
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Court Battle Gets Personal By Jonathan D. Silver Pittsburgh Post-Gazette May 07, 2005 Judge tells deputy to separate lawyers Courtrooms are normally reserved places where quiet and decorum rule. Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Municipal Courts Building had the ambience of a pro wrestling arena when a sheriff's deputy had to intervene between two trash-talking attorneys who nearly came to blows. In a brief but testy exchange that included profanity, threats of physical violence and intimations of drunkenness, Deputy District Attorney Mark Tranquilli and Assistant Public Defender James Sheets stood toe to toe, face to angry face. Their argument played out in front of about 10 relatives and friends of homicide victim Jason Dixon and suspect Florray Arnett before District Judge Rob Wyda asked a deputy to step in. "They're two good attorneys who let things get out of hand," Wyda said after the hearing. "They were both out of line." District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. has asked his chief of detectives to open an internal inquiry to determine whether Tranquilli acted professionally. Zappala said that is the protocol when questions arise about an employee's conduct. "They're standing in my shoes, and I expect them to conduct themselves at the highest professional levels, so it is important," Zappala said, referring to his prosecutors. "There are standing orders -- nobody expresses disrespect to the bench or you don't go in the courtrooms." Zappala said Tranquilli, who runs the prosecution's homicide unit, contacted his supervisor after the blow-up, saying, "We had an incident." Chief Public Defender Michael Machen could not be reached for comment. The dispute began at the end of the hearing after Wyda ordered Arnett held for trial on one count of homicide. Sheets appealed to Wyda to set bond, considering the circumstances of the fatal shooting of Dixon, 19, on the North Side on April 20, during a domestic dispute. Sheets said both families believe Arnett shot Dixon by accident and do not want her to do jail time. "There are children involved. The children need their mother. I've lost a son, but the children still need their mother," Dixon's father, Edward Dixon, 52, of the North Side, said after the hearing. Tranquilli objected to bond being set. As both sides pleaded their case, Sheets suddenly made an exaggerated gesture before the bench, looking at Tranquilli as he leaned back on one leg and extended his hands, palms up. "Do you need a minute, Mr. Sheets, to sober up?" Tranquilli asked in response. "Is that what you need?" "[Expletive] you. [Expletive] you," Sheets shot back. "Gentlemen, gentlemen," Wyda intoned. "Listen, this is a court of law. You both know each other. Let's not go there. That's enough. My goodness sakes." With Sheets and Tranquilli staring each other down, Sheets said, "I'm going to knock you the [expletive] out." "You think so?" Tranquilli asked. "Deputy," Wyda said, "separate these gentlemen." The deputy stepped between them. Wyda then denied the request for bond and the hearing was peacefully adjourned. . . |
Monty Clay Settlement By Milan Simonich Post-Gazette Staff Writer February 13, 2004 Three eastern suburbs disclosed yesterday that they paid boxer Ramont "Monty" Clay a total of $27,000 to settle a police brutality lawsuit. Braddock and Rankin each paid Clay $10,000. Swissvale settled the case for $7,000. All three towns sealed the settlement and insisted that Clay and his lawyer sign a contract barring them from discussing it. But the suburban governments changed their position and revealed the terms at the request of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The newspaper's editors argued that payments to settle a municipal lawsuit are public record under state law. Edgewood, which also was sued in the case, disclosed earlier this week that it paid Clay $5,000 for dropping the lawsuit. Clay's lawyer, Shawn Flaherty, said yesterday he may ask the U.S. Justice Department to review police conduct in the case. "In my heart of hearts, I think the actions the police took have got to be investigated by somebody other than the police themselves," he said. Three days after Clay filed his lawsuit alleging brutality, police from Edgewood, Swissvale and McKeesport began an undercover investigation of him. They eventually charged Clay with selling cocaine to undercover officers. Rankin Mayor Demont Coleman said he needed a couple of days to familiarize himself with the case and did not know why the settlement had been sealed. "We have nothing to hide, so I can't understand it," he said. But in reports filed on the drug investigation, police said Clay twice delivered cocaine to undercover officers while driving his jitney. Clay was not arrested either time. McKeesport Detective Joe Osinski wrote in a report that Clay also agreed to deliver heroin to an undercover buyer. But police dropped the heroin investigation after Clay told them he could not personally deliver the drug. For his part, Clay says he never took or sold illegal drugs. He maintains that police called his jitney service for rides and planted informants in the car in the hope of entrapping him. |
Monty Clay drops brutality suit against police in 4 suburbs By Milan Simonich Post-Gazette Staff Writer February 05, 2004 Settlement terms are not disclosed; Clay says he's focusing on next fight
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Boxer who sued four boroughs fights drug charges, injuries By Milan Simonich Post-Gazette Staff Writer December 30, 2002
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FBI Expands Probe To Include More Local Cases ill Shooting, Mt. Oliver Arrest Added To Federal Review January 20, 2003
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