PRINTER'S NO. 3459
No. 561 Session of 2006
INTRODUCED BY MUSTIO, BIANCUCCI, COSTA, DeLUCA, DIVEN, GERGELY,
KOTIK, LEVDANSKY, MAHER, MARKOSEK, PISTELLA, READSHAW,
T. STEVENSON, TURZAI, MARSICO, WHEATLEY, PETRONE, ALLEN,
ARGALL, ARMSTRONG, BAKER, BALDWIN, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BEBKO-
JONES, BEYER, BISHOP, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CASORIO,
CAUSER, CLYMER, COHEN, CORNELL, CORRIGAN, CRAHALLA,
CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DALLY, DENLINGER, DeWEESE, DONATUCCI,
D. EVANS, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FEESE, FICHTER, FLEAGLE,
FORCIER, GEIST, GEORGE, GODSHALL, GOOD, GRELL, GRUCELA,
HALUSKA, HARHAI, HARHART, HASAY, HERSHEY, HESS, HICKERNELL,
HUTCHINSON, JAMES, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, KILLION, LaGROTTA,
LEDERER, MAITLAND, MAJOR, MANDERINO, McCALL, McILHATTAN,
McILHINNEY, McNAUGHTON, METCALFE, MILLARD, S. MILLER, MYERS,
NAILOR, O'NEILL, PAYNE, PETRARCA, PHILLIPS, PYLE, QUIGLEY,
RAMALEY, RAPP, RAYMOND, REED, REICHLEY, ROBERTS, ROEBUCK,
ROHRER, ROSS, RUBLEY, SANTONI, SATHER, SCHRODER, SHANER,
SHAPIRO, B. SMITH, S. H. SMITH, SOLOBAY, SONNEY, STABACK,
STEIL, STERN, R. STEVENSON, SURRA, E. Z. TAYLOR, J. TAYLOR,
THOMAS, TIGUE, TRUE, WATERS, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, ZUG AND
SIPTROTH, JANUARY 31, 2006
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JANUARY 31, 2006
A RESOLUTION
1 Honoring the life and extending condolences for the supreme
2 sacrifice of State Police Corporal Joseph R. Pokorny, Jr.,
3 who was shot and killed in the line of duty on December 12,
4 2005, during a traffic stop shortly after 2 a.m. in Carnegie.
5 WHEREAS, Joseph R. Pokorny, Jr., was a 1978 graduate of
6 Center Area High School in Monaca and attended Indiana
7 University in Bloomington, Indiana; and
8 WHEREAS, At the beginning of his last semester in college,
9 Cpl. Pokorny took the Pennsylvania civil service test and
1 applied to enter the State Police Academy; and
2 WHEREAS, Upon graduating from the academy in November 1983,
3 Cpl. Pokorny began a distinguished 22-year career with the
4 Pennsylvania State Police, serving at stations in Washington,
5 Belle Vernon, Findlay, Newville and Moon and working undercover
6 in narcotics for several operations, including attachment to a
7 Federal Drug Enforcement Administration task force where he was
8 considered an excellent undercover operative; and
9 WHEREAS, Cpl. Pokorny is credited with directly saving
10 another trooper's life recently, and he received a commendation
11 for this courageous action; in 1999, Cpl. Pokorny was among 20
12 Federal, State and local law enforcement officers chosen as
13 recipients of the Outstanding Performance in Law Enforcement
14 award; and he was promoted to corporal in the force in 2002, an
15 elite distinction; and
16 WHEREAS, At approximately 2 a.m. on the morning of December
17 12, 2005, Cpl. Pokorny observed a black 2001 Mercury Sable
18 speeding on Interstate 279 and, after following normal reporting
19 procedure and calling for backup, stopped the vehicle and
20 approached it; and
21 WHEREAS, Two of the vehicle's occupants readily complied with
22 Cpl. Pokorny's directions, but a third person, the vehicle's
23 driver, became belligerent, engaged in a physical struggle with
24 Cpl. Pokorny and, within several seconds, shot and killed the
25 trooper; and
26 WHEREAS, Within two days of Cpl. Pokorny's murder, police
27 apprehended all three of the vehicle's occupants, and officials
28 have charged the driver with homicide, illegal possession of a
29 firearm and parole violation; and
30 WHEREAS, Cpl. Pokorny, beloved father of Joseph and
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1 Alexandre, son of Florence and Joseph R. and brother of Frank
2 and Laura, was courageously serving the people of the
3 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at the time of his death; and
4 WHEREAS, Family and friends mourn the tragic loss of this
5 compassionate and dedicated man and remember his indomitable
6 courage, honesty, enduring spirit, capacity to love and
7 exemplary record of service; therefore be it
8 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the life
9 and extend condolences for the supreme sacrifice of State Police
10 Corporal Joseph R. Pokorny, Jr., who died tragically on December
11 12, 2005, in the line of duty in Carnegie; and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be given to Joseph
13 and Alexandre Pokorny, the children of Corporal Pokorny, and
14 mailed to them at 237 Springer Drive, Moon Township, PA 15108.
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