DA To Review Investigation Of Clairton Police Shooting

CLAIRTON (KDKA) -- The Allegheny County District Attorney says he will investigate whether mistakes were made in the investigation into the shooting of a Clairton police officer.

Last week, a jury acquitted the two suspects charged in the shooting.

Officer James Kuzak was shot and paralyzed in Clairton on April 4, 2011. He and two other officers were responding to a home invasion on Miller Avenue.

Two men were eventually charged in that shooting – 19-year-old Marcus Andrejco of Rankin and Emilio Rivera, 27, from McKeesport.

A jury found them both not guilty of the shooting.

District Attorney Stephen Zappala told reporters he has some concerns about how the case was handled by county investigators.

"There are a lot of issues and part of the meeting with the chief executive today was to brief him on some of those issues," he said.

"We're trying to put together – there are some persons that we should develop some issues with, but I don't want to get into detail," he added.

Emilio Rivera was convicted in the home invasion, but even with taped confessions, the jury acquitted both men of the shooting. Zappala says the jurors wanted more.

"The confession is one aspect of the case, but the jury always looks for … give me DNA, give me fingerprints, have some eyewitness put me in the house," he said.

"The interrogations were very well done. They used tape like you said – that's probably the best practice. We always try to get people on tape. Other aspects of the case weren't developed as well."

Zappala says as far as he is concerned, this case is still open because no one has been charged with the shooting.

He went on to say a follow up as to what went wrong will now be discussed with the superintendent of county police.

RELATED LINKS
More Local News
More Related Stories