Slain Temple police officer Christopher Fitzgerald's family wants death penalty for Miles Pfeffer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The father of fallen Temple University police officer Christopher Fitzgerald wants the death penalty for Miles Pfeffer, who's charged in the officer's murder, they said after a court hearing Tuesday.
Pfeffer, 19, is charged with murder, robbery and other offenses after police say he shot and killed Fitzgerald, who was trying to stop a carjacking at 17th Street and Montgomery Avenue, off Temple's main campus, on Feb. 18, 2023.
"No empathy," Marissa Fitzgerald, the wife of the slain officer, said of Pfeffer. "An evil human being. Just an evil individual that has no regard for life."
Pfeffer appeared in court Tuesday in Philadelphia for a preliminary hearing - which he waived. The case will continue moving through the judicial process and Fitzgerald's family says they will be there at every hearing.
"We want to make sure justice is served," Fitzgerald's father, Joel Fitzgerald Sr., said outside the courthouse. "We understand the importance of showing up. Being present is part of the battle here to ensure that the type of justice that this monster deserves is enacted."
Fitzgerald Sr. said that type of justice is the death penalty. Fitzgerald Sr. added the case "meets every threshold" that Pennsylvania law says is required for prosecutors to pursue the death penalty.
"And I will tell you that we're waiting with bated breath to hear from the district attorney for what they decide to do," Fitzgerald Sr. said.
"What we'd like to see is this person to go through the pain that our son went through, to go through the suffering that the family is going through to go through... each and every moment of excruciating anger that we've felt over the last year and that our grandchildren will feel for the rest of their lives."
The Fitzgerald family was visibly frustrated with the series of delays in the case and wanted to know why it took so long to get to court.
"We couldn't even get the process started until today, it's ridiculous," Fitzgerald's mother said.
Records show the preliminary hearing for Pfeffer has been rescheduled four times in eleven months due to defense requests.
"It's hitting differently, I think partially because of the privilege that this monster has had over the last year ... he's been extended the privilege of having court date after court date rescheduled," Fitzgerald Sr. said. "We still don't know whether the death penalty, which we endorse in this case and many Philadelphians will be endorsed in this case, is going to be leveled in this case. We'll know in three weeks."
A spokesperson for the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office told CBS News Philadelphia: "Out of deference to the courts, which make sentencing decisions, we have no comment at this time."
Fitzgerald Sr. is the chief of police and emergency management for RTD - Denver, Colorado's transportation district. He's also a former Allentown, Pennsylvania police chief and served 17 years in the Philadelphia Police Department.
Fitzgerald, a Drake and Doja Cat fan who went by the nickname "Fitz," was a bike patrol officer for Temple and came from a family of law enforcement. The 1700 block of Montgomery Avenue where Fitzgerald was killed is now named Christopher Fitzgerald Way.
When Pfeffer was arrested for Fitzgerald's murder, officers used "Fitz's" handcuffs.
