Prosecutors drop death penalty against man charged with killing McKeesport officer

Prosecutors will no longer seek the death penalty against the man accused of shooting and killing McKeesport police officer Sean Sluganski in 2023, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office said. 

Johnathan Morris is accused of killing Sluganski and injuring another officer after police were called to respond to a mental health crisis in McKeesport on Feb. 6, 2023. 

Prosecutors didn't give a reason for rescinding their notice to seek the death penalty, but in a statement on Thursday, a spokesperson for the district attorney's office broadly explained how the process works. The spokesperson said that in first-degree murder cases in Pennsylvania, prosecutors have to decide whether they'll seek the death penalty by the formal arraignment, which happens 30 days after a preliminary hearing.

Morris is facing a lengthy list of charges, including criminal homicide and murder of a law enforcement officer of the first degree. 

"After the Notice of Intention is filed, while preparing for the trial, both the District Attorney and the defense counsel continue to gather evidence and information," the statement said. "If additional and/or new information is discovered or the circumstances change, the District Attorney can file a Notice of Recission of Intention to Seek Death Penalty." 

According to the criminal complaint, Morris' mother called police on Feb. 6, 2023, and said her son suffers from PTSD and was being aggressive towards her. Police said when officers found Morris, he pulled out a gun and opened fire, hitting and killing Sluganski and injuring another officer. Morris was injured in an exchange of gunfire with a third officer. 

Since the 1970s, only three people have been executed in Pennsylvania, and Gov. Josh Shapiro has promised not to issue any execution warrants during his term.