Man accused in stabbing death of Pittsburgh K-9 officer denied bail

PITTSBURGH — The man accused of stabbing and killing a Pittsburgh police K-9 last week appeared in court Tuesday morning.

President Judge Jeffrey Manning denied bond for 21-year-old John Rush saying his is a flight risk.

"This particular defendant has a propensity for criminal violent conduct, and that was taken into consideration in a strong, strong way with Judge Manning,” WPXI legal analyst Phil DiLucente said. "And therefore this particular defendant should not be walking the streets with you and me.”

Manning also called the original $1 million bond “magisterial grandstanding.”

"Judge Manning, as president judge, being a judge for over 25 years, certainly knows an appropriate bond to be given. I think that's exactly what he did today,” DiLucente said.

Officer Rocco died last Thursday, two days after police said Rush stabbed him while officers were trying to arrest him. He was wanted on warrants for probation violations and for failing to register as a sex offender when he fought off an Allegheny County sheriff's deputy, police said.

Rocco will be laid to rest with full honors on Friday. The public funeral will be held at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum on at 11 a.m. Doors will open at 10 a.m. However, law enforcement officers and their family will have priority seating. There will be a procession to the hall, officials said.

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