Penn. Judge Accused Of Shooting Her Boyfriend In The Head While He Slept, Allegedly Tried To Convince Him He Shot Himself

Penn. Judge Accused Of Shooting Her Boyfriend In The Head While He Slept, Allegedly Tried To Convince Him He Shot Himself

A Pennsylvania judge has been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault after allegedly shooting her boyfriend in the head while he slept.

Authorities said that the incident happened early on Saturday, Feb. 10, when Sonya M. McKnight, a Magisterial District Judge in Dauphin County, allegedly

“shot the victim in the head while the victim was sleeping in bed.”

The bullet is said to have pierced the right side of Michael McCoy’s face before making its way in a straight line just below his eyes. It exited on the left side of his face. Although McCoy, 54, survived his injuries, he is now blind in one eye. The bail for McKnight, 57, was set at $300,000.

According to an arrest affidavit filed by Susquehanna Township Police, authorities stated that McCoy, who had been dating McKnight for about a year, tried to break up with her “numerous times.”

On Friday, Feb. 9, he arrived at his home where McKnight was sitting on the couch in pajamas (McCoy had previously taken her key to the home, but she allegedly entered with a spare). McKnight reportedly wanted to talk, however, McCoy refused and said he would reach out to McKnight’s mom to try and get her out of the house. The affidavit states,

“At this point Sonya McKnight responds, ‘Oh, You’re serious?’ Michael McCoy stated that it was like she finally understood that it was over.”

McCoy then went to bed around 11 p.m. and woke up with “massive head pain,” per the affidavit. He was also unable to see. He recalled to police that Mcknight began yelling at him,

“Mike what did you do to yourself?”

She then called for an ambulance just before 1 a.m. Saturday morning, but authorities said in the affidavit that she

“could not explain what happened and stated that she was sleeping and heard him screaming.”

She allegedly tried to convince McCoy that he shot himself, however, while being treated at the hospital, McCoy insisted that he did not pull the trigger.

Police said McKnight’s interview “was found to be deceptive” and the gun in question was registered to her. Gun residue was also found on her hands.

This isn’t the first time McKnight has faced legal trouble after being elected in Dauphin County in 2016. The Court of Judicial Discipline suspended her without pay in November when she allegedly violated probation. She had been put on probation after allegedly interfering with her son’s arrest during a traffic stop in 2020. She was later acquitted of criminal charges.

Before that, McKnight was charged with shooting her estranged husband in 2019 after asking him to come over to help her move furniture. The charges were dropped and the shooting was ruled as self-defense.

What are your thoughts on the judge’s charges? Tell us in the comments.

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