Target 11: Police taking another look at alleged rape case involving Pittsburgh officers
Target 11 has learned that Allegheny County police are now taking another look at that alleged rape case involving two Pittsburgh Police officers.
This action comes after a family court judge ruled there was enough evidence to issue a permanent restraining order against the accused officer.
Allegheny County Police investigated the initial claims by a female Pittsburgh Police officer who works at Zone 5 in the East End that she had allegedly been raped by a fellow officer after a night of drinking and partying last summer.
Channel 11 is not identifying the officer because he has not been charged with any crimes.
The city said the accusations were independently investigated by Allegheny County Police and the city’s Office of Municipal Investigations and no charges were ever filed. The Allegheny County District Attorney’s office has said, “believing something happened and proving it criminally are entirely different circumstances.”
Target 11 learned about the accusations through multiple law enforcement sources. The female officer then sent a lengthy e-mail to every officer in the department detailing what she claims happened to her and how she said the officer only got a three-day suspension and a transfer. Target 11 independently confirmed the disciplinary action with multiple sources.
The female officer then filed in family court for a protection order against the officer. After a civil court hearing, a Judge ruled that there was enough evidence to issue the order, barring the officer from any contact.
“The court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the Plaintiff is the victim of sexual violence. At a minimum, The defendant committed the act of sexual assault. The court further finds that the Plaintiff is at a continued risk of harm from the Defendant,” the judge wrote in the court order.
When Target 11 questioned Assistant Allegheny County Police Superintendent Vic Joseph about the Judge’s ruling in the civil case, he sent this statement.
“As with any case, if there is additional information, detectives follow up and continue to investigate,” said Joseph.
Target 11 also reached out to the District Attorney’s office after the judge’s ruling a couple of weeks ago. A spokesman said that the standard of proof in a civil case involving the protection order is lower than the standard of proof in a criminal case.
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