Pennsylvania judge found guilty of shooting ex-boyfriend in the head
A Pennsylvania judge, Sonya McKnight, has been found guilty of attempted homicide and aggravated assault after shooting her ex-boyfriend in the head out of jealousy, leaving him blind in one eye. The incident took place at her ex-boyfriend’s home in February 2024, following the end of their relationship when he asked her to move out.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that McKnight acted out of jealousy towards her ex-boyfriend, leading her to shoot him while he was sleeping. Despite McKnight’s defense attorney claiming that the victim was unable to identify the shooter, the victim testified that McKnight was the only other person present at the time of the incident.
Cumberland County District Attorney, Seán McCormack, expressed satisfaction with the jury’s verdict, emphasizing the victim’s resilience in surviving the attack. McKnight, who was elected to the Dauphin County bench in 2016, had previously been suspended without pay in November 2023 for violating judicial probation related to a prior misconduct case.
Notably, McKnight had also been involved in a 2019 incident where she shot her estranged husband, which was deemed self-defense by investigators. Following her recent conviction, a trial judge denied her defense’s request for release, and she now faces up to 60 years in prison. McKnight is set to be sentenced on May 28.
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