Poplawski's Mother Emotional After Verdict

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It has been a week of intense emotions at the Allegheny County Courthouse during the trial of Richard Poplawski, who was convicted Saturday in the deaths of three police officers.

As the verdict came down, Poplawski's mother, Margaret, was thrown out of the courtroom.

Poplawski's family members left the courthouse complaining about the way they were treated by Pittsburgh police officers after the guilty verdict was announced.

"It's upsetting that they just escorted us and kicked us out," said JoAnn Duffy, Poplawski's great aunt. "They told us to get out of the building and don't come back."

"The City of Pittsburgh's hating on me," said Margaret Poplawski. "They're hating on me , my family, my son, everything."

She says she regrets that day in April 2009 when she called 911 during a domestic dispute with her son.

"Do you think for one minute that I wanted it for the community, for those police officers, for their family, for myself and my son," she said.

She claims the 911 dispatcher should have told the officers that her son had weapons.

She said, "911, as far as I'm concerned, is basically criminally negligent, and she should be held accountable for her not relaying the information for them officers."

As for the possibility of her son receiving the death penalty instead of life in prison.

"I ain't begging nobody for nothing in this town; my son and I will stand by the best way we can," she said.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh police paid tribute to the families of the slain officers, standing in line and at attention as they left the courthouse.

RELATED LINKS:
Pittsburgh Police
Poplawski Convicted In Deaths Of 3 Officers
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