Pennsylvania Judge Convicted of Attempted Murder in Shooting of Sleeping Ex-Boyfriend, Sonya M. McKnight

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Suspended Dauphin County Magisterial District Judge Sonya M. McKnight, 59, was convicted Wednesday of attempted murder and aggravated assault for shooting her ex-boyfriend, Michael McCoy, in the head as he slept, leaving him blind in one eye. The verdict, delivered by a Delaware County jury after a three-day trial, marks a dramatic fall for the elected judge, who now faces up to 60 years in prison at her sentencing on May 28.

The shooting occurred in the early hours of February 10, 2024, at McCoy’s home in Susquehanna Township, where McKnight had been living despite their recent breakup. Prosecutors said McKnight, described as a jealous partner, reacted after McCoy, 55, repeatedly asked her to move out following the end of their one-year relationship. According to court testimony, McKnight responded to McCoy’s insistence with, “Oh, so you’re serious,” shortly before he fell asleep. Hours later, McCoy awoke to “massive head pain,” unable to see, and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors discovered a gunshot wound. The bullet had entered his right temple and exited his left, missing vital areas by millimeters, according to a report by the New York Post.

“It was found that Michael McCoy sustained a gunshot wound to the face next to his right eye,” a police affidavit stated, noting that McKnight was the only other person in the home at the time. Prosecutors alleged McKnight even tried to convince McCoy he had shot himself, a claim he refuted. “There were two people in that house, and only two people in that house,” Cumberland County District Attorney Sean McCormack, who led the prosecution due to McKnight’s judicial role in Dauphin County, told reporters. “And one of them, the one who was shot, said he did not shoot himself”.

McKnight’s defense attorney, Cory Leshner, argued that McCoy could not definitively identify the shooter and pointed to gunshot residue found on McCoy’s hands as evidence of doubt. However, forensic experts testified that residue was also present on McKnight’s clothing and hands, and one witness noted McKnight washed her hands while EMS treated McCoy, potentially removing evidence. The jury deliberated for just two hours before returning guilty verdicts on both counts.

This is not the first time McKnight has been linked to a shooting. In 2019, she shot her estranged husband in the groin after inviting him to her home to move furniture, according to PennLive.com. McKnight claimed self-defense, and prosecutors declined to file charges, citing Pennsylvania’s self-defense laws. That incident, combined with prior judicial misconduct allegations, including a 2020 case involving her son’s traffic stop, had already placed McKnight under scrutiny by the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board.

McKnight, suspended without pay since November 2023, was taken to Cumberland County Prison after her conviction, a move prompted by her judicial status in Dauphin County. Her attorney insisted she “did not attempt to kill Mr. McCoy,” but the trial judge rejected a defense request for her release pending sentencing.

17GEN4.com