The incident involving a Pittsburgh police officer's leg being broken during a South Side brawl led to the revocation of bond for the accused, Jonathan Morin. According to a WPXI report, the bond was initially set at $10,000 by a district judge, to which Police Chief Larry Scirotto reacted strongly, asserting that "men and women who sacrifice a lot for this city and keeping the community safe, and they don’t deserve to be, should never be treated as disposable."
After the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office called attention to the "savage nature" of the case, a hearing was requested, which resulted in Judge Edward J. Borkowski revoking Morin's bail, citing concerns for public safety and his appearance in court, seeing as Morin's behavior on the night of the incident displayed a "complete and unabated disregard for lawful authority," Borkowski said, a sentiment echoed by Pittsburgh Police Sgt. Andrew Robinson, the injured officer, the event occurred earlier this month during a confrontation outside a South Side bar; Morin fell over a railing, after which chaos ensued, leading to Robinson's severe injuries, as per a TribLIVE report.
Sgt. Robinson couldn't confirm if Morin directly caused his injuries during a fight that resulted in a broken leg and ankle. Still, he testified that Morin made several attempts to assault him. Morin reportedly grabbed Robinson from behind while another officer was making an arrest, leading to the altercation that injured Robinson. This case has sparked a debate about how law enforcement officers are treated and protected.
On public safety, Chief Scirotto stated, per WPXI, that he is prepared to "challenge the judicial system and those that live in it," emphasizing his priority in officer safety. At the same time, the judge underscored the initial bail as "inappropriate," according to TribLIVE. Morin's lawyer claims his client's intent was not to harm the officer and that his actions were a result of poor judgment influenced by alcohol, yet Morin will stay incarcerated until a preliminary hearing can be conducted for the charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest, with the potentiality of an appeal against the bond decision by Morin's attorney looming in the near future.
