PITTSBURGH — The Taylor Allderdice head basketball coach who was suspended with pay after he was charged with witness intimidation appeared in court Tuesday.
According to the criminal complaint, Andre McDonald and another man told Charles Chapple, a witness in a drug and gun case, that he should not have appeared in court.
Investigators said McDonald intimidated Chapple inside of a bathroom at city court on March 6.
The criminal complaint states that McDonald told Chapple, "You can't appear here. You shouldn't have showed up. Don’t say anything."
McDonald’s defense attorney, Michael Kalocay, said Chapple didn’t give the same story in court Tuesday.
“He didn’t seem like he was in fear at all today,” Kalocay said. “Hopefully he’ll maintain the same position and a judge or jury will see the facts that he was not afraid.”
Chapple was asked twice Tuesday in court if he was threatened or asked not to testify and both times he said, ‘No.’
“I’m feeling pretty good that the person didn’t feel intimidated and there was no problem and this will all go away,” McDonald said.
McDonald did not coach the team's last game of the season when they lost to Shaler 57 -51. Channel 11 News has learned that the team was told he could not be there because of personal reasons.
Channel 11's Alan Jennings reported that the personal reasons were directly linked to his arrest.
A Pittsburgh Public Schools spokesperson said McDonald has been suspended with pay pending further district review.
WPXI
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