Pennsylvania Judge Convicted of Shooting Ex-Boyfriend While He Slept

Nationwide — Sonya McKnight, an African American judge from Pennsylvania, has been found guilty of attempted murder and aggravated assault after shooting her ex-boyfriend in the head. The shooting happened on February 10, 2024, after her ex-boyfriend, Michael McCoy, tried to end their relationship.

McKnight, who served as a magisterial judge in Dauphin County, entered McCoy’s Harrisburg home and shot him while he was asleep. The bullet passed through McCoy’s face, leaving him blind in one eye. He had reportedly asked McKnight to move out several times before the incident.

According to People, McCoy told investigators he had been asleep for about an hour when he woke up with severe head pain and vision loss. He claimed the last thing he heard before going to bed was McKnight saying, “Oh, so you’re serious?”

Cumberland County District Attorney Sean McCormack stated that only McKnight and McCoy were in the house at the time, and McCoy denied harming himself.

McKnight’s attorney pointed to gunpowder residue found on McCoy’s hands as possible evidence of reasonable doubt. But after two days of witness testimony, the jury reached a guilty verdict.

McKnight was suspended from her position after her arrest. Following the conviction, her bail was raised to $3 million, and she was sent to Dauphin County Prison. Her sentencing is set for May.