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Court Upholds Death Penalty In 2009 Killing Of 3 City Officers

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for a man convicted in the 2009 killing of three Pittsburgh police officers.

The court ruled Tuesday that Richard Poplawski's sentence was based on the overwhelming evidence against him in the death of officers Paul Sciullo II, Stephen Mayhle and Eric Kelly.

Poplawski was convicted in 2011 of killing the officers when they responded to a domestic dispute at his mother's home six years ago.

Attorneys for Poplawski questioned on appeal whether it was an error to allow statements to police into evidence and show jurors images of officers' funerals, among other issues.

But the court ruled that the evidence against him was properly vetted and admissible.

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(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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