Poplawski Trial: Stanton Heights Gunman Guilty in Officers' Slayings

A Dauphin County jury on Saturday night convicted Richard Poplawski of three counts of first-degree murder in the slayings of three Pittsburgh Police officers during a gun battle in 2009, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

After deliberating for slightly more than three hours, the jury found Poplawsk1, 24, guilty of 28 charges -- including first-degree murder, attempted murder and reckless endangerment -- in the shootout with police on April 4, 2009, according to the newspapers.

The trial's penalty phase, which will determine if Poplawski is sentenced to die or spend the rest of his life in prison, begins Monday, according to the Post-Gazette and KDKA-TV.

Jurors reached their verdict on Saturday after a week of testimony, which began Monday before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning. They began deliberating shortly after 4 p.m. and announced they had reached a verdict around 7:40 p.m., according to the Tribune-Review and KDKA-TV.

Earlier Saturday, Poplawski's attorney, Lisa Middleman opened and quickly rested her case after entering exhibits into evidence but without calling witnesses, according to the Post-Gazette and Tribune-Review.  Prosecutors rested their case Friday, according to the newspapers and KDKA-TV.

Poplawski is now convicted of killing Officers Stephen Mayhle, Paul Sciullo II and Eric G. Kelly and injuring two others after ambushing them when they responded to an argument between Poplawski and his mother at the Poplawskis' home.