Welcome to this edition of legal commentary with Delaware County criminal defense attorney Enrique Latoison. In this video, brought to you by NBC Ten, we examine the tragic case of Temple University police officer Chris Fitzgerald, who was fatally shot while on duty. This commentary discusses the legal implications surrounding the alleged shooter’s mother, and possible charges she may face.
Officer Fitzgerald was fatally shot on a Saturday night. Within 12 hours of the incident, U.S. Marshals arrested the accused gunman, 18-year-old Miles Pfeffer. Pfeffer is charged with murder and is scheduled for a court appearance in March. It was reported that Pfeffer’s mother picked him up after the shooting in North Philadelphia and took him to their home in Bucks County. In response, Officer Fitzgerald’s widow stated that Pfeffer’s mother should also face charges.
Enrique Latoison, our NBC Ten legal expert, joins us to unpack this complex situation. It’s crucial to note that Enrique is not directly involved in this case.
In this case, Enrique suggests that Pfeffer’s mother could be potentially charged with being an accessory after the fact. Regardless of her relation to Pfeffer, her actions could constitute aiding him after the murder of Officer Fitzgerald. Further, considering she had another underage child not present at the scene, authorities may probe into what she knew when she picked up Pfeffer.
Evidence so far indicates that Pfeffer had time to possibly destroy the murder weapon or conceal other evidence. The question becomes whether Pfeffer’s mother could be considered a co-conspirator, hindering justice or tampering with evidence. In such a case, the police’s investigation is far from over. They will likely scrutinize every detail, including phone calls and text messages, before determining whether she played a part in the incident.
On another note, the police have reported that Pfeffer was with two teenagers before the officer’s death. These individuals, a 16 and 17-year-old, didn’t have a gun on them but were present at the scene. Even though they didn’t pull the trigger, they could face charges under Pennsylvania’s law of conspiracy. The fact that they are minors and cooperated early on in the investigation could impact the case, but it doesn’t automatically absolve them of possible charges. If they conspired to commit a crime, they could face charges due to their co-conspirator’s actions.
Stay tuned for continued coverage of this investigation on NBC Ten and nbc10.com. Services for Officer Fitzgerald are scheduled to begin tomorrow. NBC Ten will cover all services live on their digital channel, so be sure to download the NBC Ten app. Learn more from https://www.youtube.com/@Your3MinuteLawyer
Contact Enrique Latoison
(610) 999-1439