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2 Officers Take Stand In Miles Civil Trial

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The remaining two Pittsburgh Police officers being sued by Jordan Miles took the stand in their own defense Tuesday.

Officer David Sisak explained his actions after learning Miles may have had a gun.

"[Officer Michael Saldutte] says, 'He's going for a gun,'" Sisak said. "I punched [Miles] in the face. The only other thing I have is my gun. I did what I thought was the right thing. If he pulls out a gun, he's right in front of me. I have a pregnant wife at home.".

Officer Sisak was often combative during cross examination by Miles' attorney Tim O'Brien.

One example was when O'Brien pointed to what he saw as discrepancies between Sisak's statements to a number of different investigators regarding a bulge in Miles coat

Sisak: I never saw a bulge. He grabbed something and held it when he started running. That's what I saw.

O'Brien: But in a previous statement, you said it was something heavy. How did you come to the conclusion it was something heavy?

Sisak: You're taking my words and you're twisting it around.

Officer Richard Ewing took the stand around 1 p.m.

"I delivered two or three knee strikes to his left quad and it had no effect on him," Ewing said. "Saldutte said he had a gun. It was a panic tone. I was scared for my life and I was scared for my partners' life. I delivered one knee strike in the neck area and he was temporarily stunned and stopped fighting."

During the Jan. 12, 2010, incident, police said Miles was lurking suspiciously near a neighbor's house and was beaten and arrested only because he ran, resisted and appeared to have a gun.

Miles claims he was wrongfully targeted and attacked.

On Tuesday, Pittsburgh Police Sgt. Charles Henderson testified that Miles told him he thought he was being robbed the night of the incident.

Sgt. Henderson also told the jury that a lot of the information he got from Miles was a little contradictory from some of the other stories that have been told in the courtroom.

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