The second full day of testimony in the Jordan Miles trial was fiery til the end.
Police procedure expert R. Paul McCauley testified about problems with the officers’ accounts regarding the night of January 12, 2010, such as the officers not immediately checking Jordan’s waist for the gun Saldutte thought he “felt”.
“Impacting the head and neck is only justified when there is a cause for deadly force,” he explained to the jury, regarding injuries to Jordan’s head and neck. His testimony was pretty much the same as last year.
Following McCauley, we heard from former Pittsburgh Police Officer David Horak, a witness never called before.
Horak was one of the officers who drove the transport van responding to officer Ewing’s code-1 (Everything is under control/Proceed here slowly) back-up call, when Miles was taken into custody following the altercation.
Horak’s testimony would contradict officers Saldutte, Ewing and Sisak’s version of the night. Horak also contradicted himself multiple times in his own testimony.
“When we spoke before the trial, did you not tell me how uncomfortable you were testifying against other officers?” Robert Giroux asked.
“It’s very unsettling up here,” Horak replied.
Officer Horak would also testify that, on the night in question, it was not snowing and that the roads were clear, contradicting the defense opening arguments that it was snowing with low visibility.
Horak would also go on to testify that at no time did the three officers run Jordan’s identification to check for warrants, or ask Monica Wooding if she knew a Jordan Miles, who lived down the street from her.
Horvak claimed he didn’t see the facial swelling on Jordan until jordan was in the transport van. This contradicts his own deposition in 2011 where he claimed he saw the swelling immediately upon arrival.
Horvak’s partner had testified in the 2011 deposition that he (not Horak) exclaimed, “Holy shit, what happened to him?” when they first saw Miles.
Horak would go on to testify that the three officers showed no signs or complained of any injuries (Sisak claimed a knee injury in past testimony) and that Saldutte was red faced and out of breath when he arrived.
Saldutte told him that Miles “gave them the fight of their lives.”
Horak also contradicted his 2011 deposition by claiming that Ewing indeed told him that they identified themselves as officers. in 2011, Horvak stated Ewing told him they “jumped out on him and he ran”, his brief summary of the altercation. Hovak maintained Ewing never said anything about thinking Miles had a gun.
Horak swore he never saw a Mountain Dew bottle anywhere or near Miles in 2010. Horak would also testify when he arrived on scene, all three officers had their badges hanging from their necks in plain view for anyone to have seen.
Horak would also contradict himself once again playing down Miles’ facial injuries, as not the worst he’s seen, despite being immediately concerned in 2010 that Miles possibly had a skull fracture and should be taken to the hospital immediately.
Horak is currently a Ross Township police officer. Rick Ewing left the Pittsburgh police to join Ross Township as an officer, in recent months.
Jordan’s close friend and then-girlfriend, Jamiah Anderson, finished the day with testimony similar to the last trial.
Wymard’s cross examination was a wild goose chase of ramblings and inquiries into the night she went on a triple date with Jordan Miles and friends. The goose chase prompted Judge Cercone to promptly inform Wymard that he “better get to relevance quick.”
Attorneys Leight and Wymard would try to trip Jamiah up about previous testimony she made to the FBI, which she did not remember, prompting many objections and arguments between lawyers on both sides.
Court will resume tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. Sisak, Ewing, and Saldutte are expected to testify.
