Judge issues gag order in case of accused cop-killer Christian Bey

An Allegheny County Judge issued a gag order Wednesday in the capital murder case of a man charged in conneciton with the killing a Pittsburgh police officer.

Christian Bey, 30, of Wilkinsburg, is accused of killing Pittsburgh police Officer Calvin Hall in July. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. will seek the death penalty if Bey is convicted, he said.

On Wednesday, Allegheny County Judge Kevin G. Sasinoski issued a gag order in the case, prohibiting prosecutors, defense attorneys and others involved in Bey’s case from speaking outside of court about the case.

In the order, Sasinowski wrote it was being done to ensure that Bey receives a fair trial and that statements outside of court or release of evidence before the trial doesn’t contaminate the jury pool.

The next pre-trial conference is set for Friday.

The move is the latest to keep the case under wraps.

Bey has been in custody since July 22, the day before Hall’s funeral, but the complaint charging him was sealed. Police requested it be placed under seal because early disclosure of its contents could impact the investigation, they wrote in the criminal complaint.

Hall, 36, died July 17, three days after he was shot on Monticello Street in Homewood. He was off-duty when he was shot, but police officials have said he was acting as a police officer at the time.

This story was updated Sept. 19 to correct the name of the judge who issued the order.