E. Liberty man to stand trial in fatal shooting

An East Liberty man will stand trial on charges stemming from a fatal shooting last year.

Following a preliminary hearing Wednesday, charges of homicide and a firearms count against Ernest E. Hardman were held for Allegheny County Common Pleas Court by District Judge James Hanley Jr.

Hardman, 26, is accused of killing Reginald Shelton, 56, who was shot in the chest early July 3, 2016, at an apartment building on Sandusky Court in Fineview.

Shelton drove himself to Allegheny General Hospital, where he died a short time later.

A witness testified at Hardman’s preliminary hearing that she heard Hardman and another man arguing in the stairwell, heard a shot and then saw Hardman with a gun.

Assistant district attorney Chelsie Pratt said an additional charge of witness intimidation was being filed against Hardman for threatening the woman who testified against him as they were taken to City Court.

Man must stand trial in attack on schoolteacher

A man accused of helping his girlfriend attack a Pittsburgh Public Schools teacher will stand trial in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.

Vincent Beasley, 26, was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Wednesday on aggravated assault and related counts involving an attack on Pittsburgh King PreK-8 teacher Janice Davis Watkins on Oct. 18.

Mr. Beasley, however, agreed to waive his hearing. In exchange, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office withdrew two counts of conspiracy and one count of stalking against him.

Mr. Beasley still faces three counts of aggravated assault and two counts of conspiracy.

Police said he was with Daishonta Williams when she attacked her child’s teacher, Ms. Watkins, who was sitting in traffic on the West End Bridge.