Re: Cop Killer Sentenced to Death - US
Charles Scott, who died earlier this year, once shot two telephones his wife tried to use to call for help during one argument, and also shot up her textbooks when she tried to get a GED diploma, which he opposed, according to the witnesses. Margaret Poplawski developed a history of psychological problems, which the relatives attributed to her father, has a drinking problem and has attempted suicide several times, according to the testimony she sat through silently next to her mother.
That resulted in Margaret Poplawski's largely loveless relationship with her son, who called her "Maggie," not "Mom," since he was an adolescent, according to his family.
"I've never seen her kiss him or put her arms around and show any kind of affection for him," said Joanne Duffy, Poplawski's great-aunt and the sister-in-law who testified that Charles Scott raped her.
Allegheny County Deputy District Attorney Mark Tranquilli blunted much of the testimony about Charles Scott by getting witnesses to acknowledge his most violent behavior happened before Poplawski was born or when the youngster was not around. Tranquilli also noted Scott suffered a debilitating brain injury when Poplawski was about 10 and had little ability to influence the boy after that.
The jury apparently agreed with Tranquilli, who argued Poplawski's age was a non-issue because he cruelly killed three people when he was 22, four years older than some men are when they die in the military.
As to Poplawski's previously "clean" record, Tranquilli told the jury: "Richard Poplawski at age 22 1/2 committed more crimes in one day than most people commit in a lifetime. Why does it make it less terrible that he saved it up for one big hurrah?"
Instead, Tranquilli contrasted Poplawski's fatherless home life with that of one of his victims, Eric Kelly, and the testimony the slain officer's mother, Frances Kelly, gave Monday when she talked about raising him alone in a crime-ridden city housing project.
Frances Kelly said, "Just because you grow up in a bad environment doesn't mean you have to become part of that environment," Tranquilli said. "Richard Poplawski could have learned a lesson from Frances Kelly."
Tranquilli finished by paying tribute to the victim's families: "I don't think any of this would have been possible without the quiet grace of the Sciullo family, the Mayhle family and the Kelly family."
Manning scheduled sentencing for Sept. 6 on the rest of Poplawski's charges - including nine counts each of attempted murder and assault on a law officer stemming from other police he fired upon.
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Gee what chance does any kid have growing up surrounded with a bunch of nutters like his family. However that does not excuse him killing 3 people and causing so much harm and pain to those Officers families
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