Tunnel-shooting trial set to begin Monday

The trial of a former Pittsburgh Housing Authority police officer accused of shooting an unarmed motorist inside the Armstrong Tunnels will begin Monday.

John Charmo, 46, of Glassport is charged with homicide in the 1995 death of Jerry Jackson, 44, in the Armstrong Tunnels after a car chase.

Jackson, who was trying to evade police after being pulled over for a traffic violation, was shot 14 times in the head, neck and upper back.

Charmo testified in a June 1995 coroner's inquest that he was chasing Jackson through the Armstrong Tunnels when Jackson's stolen black Mazda spun around and came at him.

Charmo said he shot Jackson several times in self-defense. But physical evidence that ran contrary to Charmo's testimony, including a videotape of the crime scene, was not presented. Charmo and two other officers were cleared of any wrongdoing.

District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. reopened the case almost four years later, after the Housing Authority settled a civil lawsuit by Jackson's family during which the previously unused evidence surfaced.

A second inquest was held in January 1999 including the new evidence.

Experts testified Jackson's car could not have spun around in the narrow tunnel as Charmo had testified, and the coroner's office recommended a criminal homicide charge.

Charmo has been in Allegheny County Jail since he was charged on Jan. 7 with assaulting his girlfriend and chasing her with his sport utility vehicle.

Charmo allegedly began yelling at the woman, identified as Michelle Lynn McHenry, during an argument.

He was charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, disorderly conduct and reckless driving.

McHenry told police that she and Charmo had argued during the night, and that as she was going back to her car on Allegheny Avenue in Glassport, Charmo drove at her with his headlights off trying to run her down, the complaint states.