WASHINGTON COUNTY — A political feud between two longtime Washington County elected officials — the district attorney and the coroner — escalated this week and is now headed to Harrisburg.
Coroner Tim Warco signed a sworn affidavit claiming District Attorney Jason Walsh compelled him to file a death certificate listing the death of a two-month-old baby as homicide, when it was previously ruled undetermined by Allegheny County. Warco claims Walsh pressured him to change the cause and manner of death to help boost the D-A’s re-election chances the following year.
District Attorney Walsh strongly denies the accusation and says court documents back him up. He shared records with Channel 11 showing he filed notice to seek the death penalty against the baby’s father five months before Warco conducted an autopsy or signed the certificate in question.
The high-stakes dispute centers on the 2021 death of baby Sawyer Clark, who was rushed from his Peters Township home to Children’s Hospital and later died. His father, Jordan Clarke, has maintained he tripped on a plastic bag while carrying the baby, but doctors raised serious concerns about possible abuse.
The Atlantic Center for Capital Representation, a nonprofit that assists defendants in capital cases, has petitioned the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to block Walsh from seeking the death penalty — pointing out Walsh has filed to pursue capital punishment in 11 homicide cases since taking office.
Facing a Supreme Court deadline, Washington County leaders held an emergency public meeting Friday to hire an outside attorney for the DA. All three commissioners voted to approve the hire, despite pushback from a few citizens who questioned the cost and timing.
The county will pay Harrisburg attorney Shohin Vance $480 an hour to help the DA respond to the Supreme Court petition. Commissioner Nick Sherman told Channel 11 the cost will primarily be covered by the county’s insurance policy, though there could be some out-of-pocket expenses.
“This is not taxpayers’ expense — there will be some money out of pocket, there’s always premiums and everything else — but for the most part this is going to be covered under insurance,” Sherman said.
Some residents at Friday’s meeting expressed frustration about the last-minute vote.
“It’s like a rush thing to hide something — what are you hiding to have it so quick?” asked citizen Cliff Cochran. “If another county employee gets in trouble, are you going to get an attorney for them too? You’re setting a precedent here.”
The commissioners say the short notice was necessary because the DA must file his response by next Tuesday.
While the district attorney now has legal representation funded by the county’s insurance policy, commissioners told Channel 11 the coroner has not requested any county-paid attorney of his own at this time.
This unusual political showdown — and the tragic death at its center — could soon play out in Pennsylvania’s highest court, with both sides standing firm on their claims.
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