Judge assigned to Rose case

Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Anthony M. Mariani has been assigned the case of an East Pittsburgh police officer accused of killing an unarmed black teen in June.

Michael Rosfeld, 30, who is white, is charged with one count of criminal homicide for the June 19 shooting death of Antwon Rose II, 17.

Antwon was killed that evening after Officer Rosfeld conducted a felony traffic stop of the vehicle in which the teen was a front-seat passenger.

The car, police believed, had just been involved in a drive-by shooting in North Braddock 13 minutes earlier.

After Officer Rosfeld got the

driver of the vehicle out of the car and down on the ground, Antwon got out and fled. He was shot in the back, arm and face.

Antwon’s death prompted days and nights of protests, with supporters demanding that criminal charges be filed against Officer Rosfeld.

District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. announced the arrest of Officer Rosfeld on June 27.

He was granted an unsecured bond and ordered to be released with house arrest. Officer Rosfeld is scheduled for formal arraignment on Wednesday. However, his defense attorney, Patrick Thomassey, has already waived his client’s appearance for that, which is not unusual. Judge Mariani, who served for 25 years as both a civil and criminal defense attorney and previously worked as a federal prosecutor, was elected to the bench in 2004.