Civil Lawsuit To Be Filed Against East Pittsburgh Police Officer Michael Rosfeld

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A civil lawsuit is expected to be filed next week against East Pittsburgh police officer Michael Rosfeld who is charged with criminal homicide in the death of 17-year-old Antwon Rose.

"He should have never been sworn-in the day he killed Antwon Rose," said Lee Merritt, the Rose family attorney.

The Rose family attorneys are peering into Rosfeld's history as a police officer, calling it a checkered past. And, now, another Pittsburgh attorney is taking action.

Attorney Rob Peirce tells KDKA that on Monday, he'll be filing a civil lawsuit against Rosfeld and his former employer, the University of Pittsburgh Police Department.

The suit will allege that Rosfeld made false statements against three young men, leading to their arrest in December at the Garage Door Saloon in Oakland.

The criminal complaint filed by Rosfeld at the time accused the three of starting a bar fight, fighting with the owner and staff and kicking in a door.

All three were charged with disorderly conduct, defiant trespass, simple assault and public drunkenness, and taken to Allegheny County Jail.

But upon reviewing the case, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office withdrew the charges.

Office spokesman Mike Manko telling KDKA: "We didn't think we could sustain our burden of proof based on the evidence available."

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Pitt police did their own internal investigation about Rosfeld's version of events at the Garage Door Saloon. Then, in mid-January in the midst of the inquiry, Rosfeld resigned from the department.

Pitt Police have not commented on the incident except to say they've shared Rosfeld's job history with the district attorney. Rosfeld's attorney couldn't be reached, and Peirce says he represents two of the young men, but has been approached by others about other incidents involving Rosfeld.