PITTSBURGH,None — A Pittsburgh judge imposed three death sentences against a 24-year-old man convicted in the deaths of three police officers in April 2009.
VIDEO: Cop Killer Poplawski Sentenced To Additional Life Sentence RAW VIDEO: Poplawski Inside Allegheny County Jail (Graphic) PDF: Poplawski Online Rant Presented As Evidence VIDEO: Poplawski In Court For Formal Sentencing
Richard Poplawski was convicted in the deaths of officers Paul Sciullo II, 36, Stephen Mayhle, 29, and Eric Kelly, 41.
In addition to the formal sentencing, the judge also sentenced Poplawski to 190 additional years in prison for the shots he fired at other police officers who were called to the scene.
Channel 11 News reporter Alan Jennings asked Poplawski if he had anything to say prior to the hearing. Poplawski replied, "This is far from over. I'll be back."
Jennings reported that the judge sentenced Poplawski to the additional time for attempted murder to make sure he never leaves jail, even if he would win the death sentence appeals his attorney plans to file.
In court on Tuesday, prosecutors played a never-before-seen video of Poplawski in jail three months after the murders.
In the video, Poplawski was completely naked and angry. The CERT team was called in to restrain him and prosecutors said he yelled, "I killed three Pittsburgh police officers, and I'd do it again."
Prosecutors played the video to show Poplawski's lack of remorse, according to Channel 11's Cara Sapida.
Also on Tuesday, prosecutors said Poplawksi remained defiant and continued to express his hatred for police while walking out of the courtroom.
"Upon leaving the courtroom, (Poplawski) saw Officer Fryberger, who was the sniper that disabled his AK-47, and called him a ‘hack,'" said Deputy District Attorney Mark Tranquilli.
Following Poplawski's June trial, a jury imposed the death penalty against Poplawski, prompting dozens of officers who gathered in a courthouse hallway to erupt in applause and tears as prosecutors and the victims' relatives emerged from the courtroom.
Poplawski will join 211 other Pennsylvania inmates on death row. But his lawyers already plan to appeal.
The jury convicted Poplawski of three counts of first-degree murder and 25 lesser crimes for shooting the officers on April 4, 2009, after Poplawski's mother called 911 when an argument escalated about his puppies urinating on the floor at her Stanton Heights home.
Poplawski surrendered more than three hours later, largely because he was bleeding from a leg wound inflicted during an exchange of fire with one of the officers, but not before peppering SWAT team officers with fire from his 12-gauge shotgun, .357 Magnum and AK-47 assault rifle.
Previous Stories: July 12, 2011: Richard Poplawski's Lawyer Files Appeal July 1, 2011: Allegheny County Spent $62,000 To Guard Poplawski Trial Jury June 29, 2011: Pittsburgh Residents, Police React To Poplawski's Death Sentence June 29, 2011: Cop-Killer Richard Poplawski Sentenced To Death June 28, 2011: Families Of Slain Cops Give Tear-Filled Victim Impact Statements June 26, 2011: Poplawski Found Guilty On 3 Counts Of 1st-Degree Murder June 25, 2011: Poplawski Trial: Defense To Call No Witnesses June 23, 2011: Slug Found Embedded In Poplawski's Bulletproof Vest June 22, 2011: Poplawski 911 Call: 'I'm Lying In A Pool Of My Own Blood' June 21, 2011: Teen Says Poplawski Told Him 'I Shot 3 Cops'
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