Former Pitt officer faces endangerment charge
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PITTSBURGH (AP) – A suspended University of Pittsburgh police officer is scheduled to stand trial on allegations he held a knife to his son’s throat.
District Judge David Barton dismissed a simple assault charge against 39-year-old Scott Kercher, of Pittsburgh, but kept charges of reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of children at a Tuesday hearing.
Kercher’s attorney, William Difenderfer, says a slight wound that was attributed to the alleged acts turned out to be a brush burn the 8-year-old boy sustained while horsing around with his father. Difenderfer says preliminary testimony included several inconsistencies compared to the criminal complaint.
Kercher’s two children told authorities Kercher put a knife to the boy’s neck and threatened to cut out his tongue March 25.
Kercher is suspended without pay.