B-PEP Statement - Opposition to Reinstatement of Officer Keith Edmonds
- B-PEP
- Sep 11
- 2 min read
September 11, 2025
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Judicial Center 601 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 4500 P.O. Box 62675 Harrisburg, PA 17106-2675
Re: Opposition to Reinstatement of Officer Keith Edmonds
Dear Honorable Justices,
On behalf of the Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) and many concerned Pittsburgh residents, we write to express our strong opposition to the Commonwealth Court’s August 8, 2025, decision to reinstate Officer Keith Edmonds. We respectfully urge the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to review this case and overturn that ruling.
The facts are clear:
Officer Edmonds fired his Taser 10 times in just a few minutes, far beyond what is considered safe or allowed.
He admitted under oath that he broke Pittsburgh Police policies, a fact confirmed by city investigators.
He ignored Jim Rogers’ repeated cries that he couldn’t breathe and failed to get medical help, even though a hospital was only two blocks away.
Instead, Rogers was left in a police car, then driven across town.
The City later paid $8 million to Mr. Rogers’ family, one of the largest settlements in Pittsburgh’s history, because of these actions
Given all this, reinstating Officer Edmonds sends the wrong message. It tells the public that even when an officer admits to breaking the rules and a person dies as a result, there will be no real consequences. It also tells other officers they can act with Impunity, while taxpayers foot the bill for mistakes.
We believe the courts have a responsibility to protect not just officers’ jobs, but also the public’s trust and safety. If this decision stands, many will feel the system values police protection over human life.
We respectfully ask this Court to hear the case, overturn the reinstatement, and clarify that when an officer’s actions are detrimental, especially when they result in the loss of life, there must be accountability.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Respectfully,
Tim Stevens
Chairman & CEO
The Black Political Empowerment Project
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