Christian Bey, the man accused of killing off-duty Pittsburgh police officer Calvin Hall in 2019, no longer faces the death penalty.
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office withdrew its intent to seek the death penalty Wednesday, less than a month before Bey’s trial is scheduled to begin, WTAE-TV reports.
The 36-year-old officer was killed on July 14, 2019, during a street dispute in the Homewood neighborhood as a party was going on.
Family members told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Hall was visiting cousins but decided to leave because a party across the street was getting rowdy. He then returned to make sure everyone was safe after his cousin was threatened by someone with a gun.
‘PERSON OF INTEREST’ IN FATAL SHOOTING OF OFF-DUTY PITTSBURGH COP TURNS SELF IN: POLICE
Christian Bey, left, is charged in the fatal shooting of off-duty Pittsburgh officer Calvin Hall. (Allegheny County/Point Park University Police Department)
His cousin, Darnell Coates, said an argument among a small group of people in the street, including Hall, escalated. He and Hall tried to leave when shots rang out, hitting Hall, he said.
Authorities said Hall died at a hospital three days after he was shot three times.
Bey was charged with the shooting on July 22, 2019.
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The trial of the suspect charged in the death of off-duty officer Calvin Hall from 2019 begins later this month.
Prosecutors originally argued the death penalty was warranted because the victim was a police officer, the slaying allegedly occurred during the commission of another felony, and there was also risk to another person.
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“Jury selection in the case is set to begin Feb. 27, with the trial scheduled to begin March 14. Records show 12 days have been set aside for the trial,” the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette states.
Fox News’ Bradford Betz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
