Charges filed against retired police detective held for court

A former Pittsburgh police detective charged with lying and faking reports waived her right to a preliminary hearing and the charges were held for court Friday, according to court records.

Margaret “Peg” Sherwood, 51, faces nine misdemeanors accusing her of false swearing, unsworn falsification, tampering with evidence, obstruction, hindering apprehension and false imprisonment.

Patrick Thomassey, Ms. Sherwood’s attorney, said Friday that they waived the preliminary hearing because the

burden of proof is so low.

“We’re going to be ready for trial,” Mr. Thomassey said.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office filed a criminal complaint against Ms. Sherwood on Jan. 26 after a state investigating grand jury issued a presentment recommending charges on Dec. 15. It accuses Ms. Sherwood of:

• Authoring a false police report and lying to prosecutors while investigating the homicide of Rasheed Strader, who was killed in 2014 in Troy Hill.

• Knowingly trying to dismantle a domestic violence prosecution to protect a jailhouse snitch.

• Authoring a false criminal complaint resulting in the wrongful arrest of a man in 2014 who was later killed after he was released from jail.

Ms. Sherwood was hired as a police officer in 1989 and retired June 16, 2017, after 27 years.