The brother and wife of fallen police Officer John Pawlowski testified yesterday before a jury deciding whether to sentence admitted killer Rasheed Scruggs to the death penalty.
Robert Pawlowski recounted “the size of a baseball” hole in his youngest brother’s side when doctors declared him dead Feb. 13, 2009. Pawlowski’s widow Kimberly wept about spending her first wedding anniversary at her husband’s grave.
The jury also heard how John died before he could hold his namesake son, who would be born four months later. It left Scruggs wiping away tears with handcuffed hands.
“The family that should’ve been is gone,” said Robert Pawlowski. “It would’ve been something to see Johnny change his first diaper … but now, my godson will never know his dad.”
Hearing the cop-shot call in the police radio room, he unsuccessfully tried to reach John via cell phone, rushed past the crowd outside the hospital, and was in the trauma room where he saw his brother declared dead. Moments later, he sat down with Kimberly, saw “the terror in her eyes, and tried to find the words to tell her he was gone.”
“He’ll never teach his son how to throw a football, read a book to him. Baby Johnny will never be kissed or hugged by his father. He’ll never know him,” Kimberly said. “I’m cold and numb to things that would have made me cry before. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”
