Jim Rogers Taser case did not merit homicide charge, Zappala says

A Pittsburgh police officer was “wrong” but didn’t commit homicide when he repeatedly shocked a homeless man with a Taser, which preceded the man’s death, the officer’s termination, and a $8 million civil lawsuit settlement with the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said Tuesday.

Jim Rogers, 54, died on Oct. 14, 2021, a day after being shocked by Keith Edmonds, a former police officer who was fired for his role in the incident on Bloomfield’s Harriet Street.

Edmonds delivered at least 10 electrical bursts on Rogers within three minutes and 15 seconds, according to a 15-page executive summary of an internal Pittsburgh police critical review board investigation.

“Clearly, what the officer did … was wrong, was contrary to training,” Zappala said at a Tuesday press conference. “I was expecting changes in how officers were trained.”

A spokeswoman for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said policy and response changes were made after the incident.

Zappala stressed, though, that he felt Edmonds’ actions that day didn’t rise to a homicide charge.

“Everybody involved in this has rights,” he added. “Beyond that, there’s not much I can say.”

A video showed that police bypassed three hospitals before taking Rogers to UPMC Mercy on the day Edmonds deployed his Taser against him multiple times.

“That’s reprehensible,” Zappala said Tuesday.

Although Zappala convened a grand jury investigation into Rogers’ death, no charges were ever filed.

The grand jury hearing the case concluded its term in October 2022.

Attorney Todd J. Hollis released video footage to his law firm’s website Monday showing what happened when Edmonds responded on Oct. 13, 2021 to a call for a stolen bicycle in Bloomfield and encountered Rogers, the suspect.

Hollis had received permission from U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Reed Eddy to share the 52-minute video, which is a compilation of body camera, dashboard camera and neighborhood footage.

Hollis said the video was being released “to provide public access to critical information and foster a transparent legal process.”

“At this point, this is all about money — I don’t care what Hollis or anybody says,” Zappala said.

Following Rogers’ death, discipline was recommended against eight police officers. Edmonds was fired but has appealed the decision.

“Police are aware that content of the video will be disturbing for many to watch and that people will want to know what we are doing to ensure that individuals in police custody are treated with care and respect,” Olga George, a spokeswoman for Gainey, said in a prepared statement.

George added that “Pittsburgh police have since made several policy and procedural improvements,” including dispatching EMS every time a Taser is deployed, reviewing all body-worn cameras after every use of force, and assigning officers to monitor prisoners during transfer to a hospital.

“The bureau and its officers are fully committed to ensuring that all individuals in Pittsburgh police custody are afforded the highest standard of care,” George said.