Trial starts today for man accused of killing off-duty cop
Testimony will begin Tuesday in the case against a man accused of gunning down an off-duty Pittsburgh police officer in 2019, a trial that may span two weeks before it lands in the hands of a jury.
Christian Bey, 34, is charged with homicide in connection with the July 14, 2019, shooting that killed Officer Calvin Hall after an apparent dispute at a Homewood block party. Hall, 36, died three days later.
In February, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office announced they would no longer seek the death penalty against Bey, who was charged about a week after the shooting. The complaint against Bey was not unsealed until a month later.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge Kevin G. Sasinoski ruled on several lingering motions last week.
Attorneys for Bey sought early on to keep uniformed police officers from attending the trial, or at least limit the number allowed in the courtroom. They argued the move would “preserve the integrity, fairness and impartiality of the jury.”
“The presence of an innumerable amount of uniformed police officers in the courtroom cannot possibly guarantee that, as the jury can and likely will be swayed in rendering a verdict,” attorneys wrote, later noting that officers in the courtroom would “only serve to unduly influence the decision-making of the jury.”
Judge Sasinoski ultimately denied those requests last week, along with several others seeking to suppress evidence in the case, including data from Bey’s Facebook account and cellphone, as well as his DNA and statements he made to investigators.
Jury selection took place late last month, with counsel from both sides focusing their questions largely on jurors’ feelings and attitudes toward law enforcement.
Bey, of Wilkinsburg, has remained in the Allegheny County Jail without bond since his arrest.
The initial criminal complaint against Bey relied on witnesses, surveillance video from the area near the shooting, ballistic evidence and a gun recovered near the scene.
Hall was off-duty and visiting people the night of the shooting in the 7300 block of Monticello Street, across the street from where a block party was being hosted.
Witnesses told police that Hall decided to leave and, as he did, an intoxicated woman sat down in the road and blocked his path. Hall got out of his vehicle in an attempt to get the woman to move, at which point Bey began to argue with Hall. Hall was ultimately able to leave.
Later, however, four women who live on Monticello Street — including Bey’s mother — got into an argument with a man identified as Hall’s cousin, police said. The Post-Gazette identified Hall’s cousin as Darnell Coates in the days after the shooting. Mr. Coates called Hall to come back to the gathering and help with the situation.
Hall came back as asked and tried to talk with the women but Hall himself was then pulled into the argument.
The criminal complaint against Bey did not indicate what sparked the argument.
Hall walked away, but then returned “in an attempt to apologize to the women in the event that he had offended anyone because of the misunderstanding,” the complaint said. During the apology, according to police, one woman said, “‘He can shove his apology up his [expletive].’ ”
A pedestrian alerted an onduty police officer to the shooting shortly after 1:30 a.m.
Witnesses said Bey, dressed in all black, walked up behind Hall and opened fire. One witness told investigators it looked like Bey “specifically targeted” the offduty officer. Police said witnesses identified Bey as the shooter.
Surveillance footage captured near the scene showed a man with a limp fleeing the area in the moments after the shooting. A witness said Bey was the only person on the street after the shots were fired. Investigators recovered a gun near Hermitage Street the next day.
In the aftermath of Bey’s arrest, the District Attorney’s Office moved the case to an indicting grand jury, which is generally used in cases where there is or could be witness intimidation. A gag order has been in place in the case since September 2019.