Suspended Dauphin County Judge Sonya McKnight appeared in court on Tuesday (June 18) for a status conference regarding her attempted murder charges. McKnight is accused of shooting her boyfriend in the face on February 10. Her defense lawyer filed a pretrial motion, arguing that there is insufficient evidence for a trial.
The case is being handled by Cumberland County District Attorney Sean McCormack to avoid a conflict of interest. In response to the defense's pretrial motion, McCormack stated that a witness would be brought in to testify at the next hearing. The identity of the witness has not been disclosed, but during McKnight's preliminary trial in March, her boyfriend, who suffered a gunshot wound to the face, testified.
The hearing for the pretrial motion is scheduled for August 8 at 1:30 p.m. McKnight's lawyer, Cory Leshner, declined to comment after Tuesday's hearing but indicated he might speak after the August 8 hearing.(local21news.com)
McKnight has been suspended from her role as a Magisterial District Judge since September 2023 for violating standards of conduct. In her absence, a rotation of senior judges has been filling her role, leading to some disorganization according to local residents.(local21news.com)