Pennsylvania Judge’s Shocking Conviction: What Led to Her Downfall?

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Pennsylvania magistrate judge Sonya McKnight was convicted of attempted homicide for shooting her ex-boyfriend in the head while he slept, following his request that she move out of his home.

Quick Takes

  • Judge Sonya McKnight faces up to 60 years in prison after being convicted of attempted homicide and aggravated assault for shooting her ex-boyfriend while he slept.
  • The victim, Michael McCoy, survived despite being shot in the head, with doctors calling him “a walking miracle.”
  • McKnight was already suspended without pay since November 2023 for separate judicial misconduct allegations.
  • This was McKnight’s second shooting incident, after a 2019 incident involving her estranged husband was deemed self-defense.
  • The jury deliberated for only two hours before reaching the guilty verdict.

A Judge’s Fatal Decision

Sonya McKnight, an elected magistrate judge from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania since 2016, now faces decades behind bars after a jury convicted her of attempted homicide and aggravated assault. The shocking incident occurred on February 10, 2024, when prosecutors say McKnight shot her ex-boyfriend, Michael McCoy, in the head while he slept at his home. The shooting followed an argument where McCoy had asked McKnight to move out, to which she reportedly responded, “Oh, so you’re serious,” before the shooting occurred later that night.

The prosecution portrayed McKnight as a jealous partner who refused to accept the end of the relationship. Though McCoy testified he couldn’t immediately see after being shot, he stated McKnight was the only other person present in the home when the incident occurred. The bullet’s trajectory proved critical to McCoy’s survival, according to the testimony of Dr. Steven Allen, who treated McCoy after the shooting.

A Pattern of Misconduct

McKnight’s legal troubles extend beyond this case. Prior to the shooting, she had already been suspended without pay since November 2023 due to misconduct allegations. The Judicial Conduct Board had alleged that McKnight violated probation from a previous misconduct case related to a 2020 traffic stop involving her son. This history of professional ethics violations raises serious questions about her fitness for judicial office even before the violent incident with her ex-boyfriend.

“We are pleased with the jury’s verdict. This was a hard-fought trial that ultimately came down to the credibility of the victim. He is a walking miracle.” Seán McCormack, Cumberland County District Attorney

Perhaps most troubling is that this wasn’t McKnight’s first shooting incident. In 2019, she shot her estranged husband, but was not charged after investigators deemed it self-defense. The contrast between the two shootings highlights the severity of the current case, where no evidence of self-defense was presented. The jury from Delaware County needed only two hours of deliberation before returning with a guilty verdict after the two-day trial.

The Victim’s Testimony

McCoy’s testimony proved compelling during the trial. He described the moment he was shot, telling jurors, “I thought I was having a brain aneurysm.” Unable to see immediately after being shot, McCoy nonetheless maintained that McKnight was the only other person in the home at the time. The defense attempted to use this temporary blindness to cast doubt on the identification of the shooter, but jurors ultimately found the circumstantial evidence overwhelming.

“Oh, so you’re serious” Michael McCoy

According to testimony, McKnight had been living at McCoy’s home despite his requests for her to leave. The relationship had deteriorated, but McKnight apparently refused to accept its end. Cumberland County District Attorney Seán McCormack expressed satisfaction with the jury’s verdict, emphasizing the credibility of the victim’s account. McKnight now faces up to 60 years in prison and is scheduled for sentencing on May 28, marking a dramatic fall from her position as an elected official entrusted with upholding the law.

Sources:

  1. Pennsylvania judge accused of shooting her ex-boyfriend as he slept is convicted of attempted homicide
  2. Pennsylvania judge convicted of shooting ex-boyfriend in head as he slept

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