Trial Delayed at Last Minute for Ex-Deputy

Trial delayed at last minute for former deputy accused in 2021 death of retired police lieutenant

The criminal trial of a former Chester County deputy charged with the 2021 killing of a retired police lieutenant was delayed at the last minute as jury selection was set to begin. The defendant has been free on bond and on electronic monitoring for more than two years while prosecutors and defense attorneys prepare for a trial that has faced multiple postponements.

What happened in court

Jury selection and a scheduled pre-trial motion did not proceed as planned on Monday morning; court officials reported that both items were moved to the following day. No formal reason for the delay was announced in court that morning. The delay affects family members of the victim who have been waiting for the criminal case to reach trial.

Who is accused and what are the charges

The defendant, a former sheriff’s deputy who was fired in 2019, faces a murder charge in the death of a retired police lieutenant found dead in his downtown apartment in July 2021. Authorities arrested the former deputy hours after the body was discovered and charged him with murder. He has pleaded not guilty and the defense has maintained the incident was self-defense.

Key case developments and evidence reported

Investigators say surveillance video and witness statements were part of the basis for arrest. Prosecutors contend the defendant followed the retired lieutenant from a nearby bar to the lieutenant’s apartment after both men had been drinking. Officials reported that the defendant was seen leaving the apartment building approximately one hour later with visible blood on his clothes. Prosecutors have described the cause of death as blunt force trauma.

Defense position and legal representation

The defense team includes two experienced attorneys with long trial records. The defense has maintained a self-defense claim throughout the case. In previous hearings, the defense noted that the victim’s blood alcohol concentration at the time of death was reported as .27 and that the victim had prescription medication in his system, which the defense cited as context for the confrontation.

Prosecution, recusal and scheduling history

Local prosecutors recused themselves from the case because of prior professional connections to the victim, and a solicitor’s office from a neighboring circuit took over prosecution. The case has been subject to repeated delays, including disruption from COVID-19 court slowdowns, jurisdictional transfers, scheduling conflicts, and other procedural factors. A trial date had been set for August but was interrupted by the most recent last-minute court delay.

Bond, monitoring and civil action

The defendant was granted bond in December 2022 and has been released from jail under a $250,000 bond with electronic monitoring and home detention conditions. Separately, the victim’s estate filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against the defendant and the bar where both men were reported to have been earlier that night. That civil complaint was amended and refiled; responses denying liability were filed by the defendant and the bar. No trial date has been set for the civil matter, which remains separate from the criminal case.

Background on the victim and defendant

The victim served three decades with the police department and rose to a lieutenant position with command-level responsibilities, including roles in detective work and special response teams. The defendant previously served in the U.S. Marine Reserves and later as a sheriff’s deputy before being fired in 2019. The case drew attention because both the victim and the accused had law enforcement backgrounds.

What comes next

Court officials indicated that jury selection and the previously expected pre-trial motion would be rescheduled to the following morning. The criminal trial schedule and the separate civil lawsuit timeline remain subject to further court rulings and procedural filings. Observers and involved parties will be watching the upcoming court sessions for developments that could shape the timing and conduct of the full trial.