From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eugene Coon
Eugene Coon
Eugene L. Coon Sr. Allegheny County Commissioner and Pittsburgh May-
or.[2]
Pittsburgh Police Gene gained national recognition on January 3, 1983
Allegheny County Sheriff
when he refused to place homes of unemployed steel
Nickname Gene workers up for public sale following foreclosure proceed-
ings.[3]
Place of birth Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
He was named to the Pennsylvania Police Hall of
Years of service 1952-1969 (Pittsburgh Police Department) Fame on January 27, 1990 and served as a bagpiper in
1970-1998 (Allegheny County Sheriff) many a St. Patrick’s Day parade. He died in his South Side
Rank - Elected Allegheny County Sheriff home on Oct. 21, 1998, at age 68.[2][4][5][6][7]
1970-1997
- "Detective in Charge" of Vice
1959-1969 FBI Files
It was revealed in 2011 by WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh that
- Sergeant
the FBI had kept extensive files on Sheriff Coon begin-
1957-1959
Commissioned as a Patrolman ning in the early to mid 1970’s and suspected him of "pro-
1952- 1957 tecting" and "enforcing" for the Pittsburgh Mob, most
notably Tony Grosso’s organization. [2] No charges nor
Eugene L. "Gene" Coon was a long-time Sheriff of Al- public investigation were ever pursued, however the files
legheny County, Pennsylvania (serving Pittsburgh and connect Coon with the same organization that Federal
it’s immediate suburbs) and an influential figure in the investigators suspected in the death of District Attorney
local Democratic party. for Pittsburgh Robert Duggan in early 1974. Then U.S.
District Attorney, and later Governor of Pennsylvania
and U.S. District Attorney, Richard Thornburgh chose to
Early Life close the cases and the investigation by 1975.
He graduated from, Perry High School in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania in 1947.[1] He attended University of Pitts-
burgh, studying "prelaw."[1]
Accident
In 1988 Sheriff Coon was involved as a pedestrian in an
accident with a car, losing one of his legs because of inju-
Army Service ries he had suffered. [3]
He served in the U.S. Army from 1947 to 1948, then re-en-
listed in 1950 for the Korean War, where he was a com-
bat infantryman in the lst Calvary Division, serving until
Rifle shots at Party
1952. [1] While in his last term as Sheriff in 1994, Coon was dis-
turbed at his suburban Westmoreland County second
home by a loud birthday party going on next door while
Law Enforcement Career he was taking a nap. Pennsylvania State Police responded
Coon began his career as an officer for the Pittsburgh Po- after Coon had attempted to have his neighbor quiet the
lice in 1952, and rose through the ranks to assistant su- party and exhausted in failing that, fired rifle shots to
perintendent.[2] He was once called "America’s Toughest quiet the party crowd. [4]
Cop" by a men’s magagine.[2] While he was head of the
Pittsburgh homicide squad, the unit solved 57 homicides
in a row.[2] He resigned from Pittsburgh in 1969 to run as
See also
a Democrat for Sheriff of Allegheny County, Pennsylva- • District Attorney
nia, a position he would hold through seven subsequent • Pittsburgh Police
elections, ending his career in 1997. [2] • Allegheny County Sheriff
He became chair of the Allegheny County Democratic
party in the early 1970’s. He also ran unsuccessfully for
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eugene Coon
References [6] Hritz, Tom (1998-10-25). "Born to be sheriff".
Pittsburgh Post Gazette (PG Publishing).
[1] ^ "Eugene L. Coon, 63, Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post http://www.post-gazette.com/forum/
Gazette (P.G. Publishing Co.): pp. E5. May 11, 1993. 19981025hritz5.asp.
[2] ^ "Souls who enriched our lives, our region - [7] O’Toole, James (1998-10-22). "Longtime sheriff
Eugene Coon". Pittsburgh Tribune Review (Tribune- Eugene Coon dies". Pittsburgh Post Gazette (PG
Review Publishing Co.). 2002-12-01. Publishing). http://www.post-gazette.com/
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ regionstate/19981022coon3.asp.
news/specialreports/10year/s_105329.html. Persondata
[3] "AROUND THE NATION; Pittsburgh Judge Halts
Name Coon, Eugene
Mortgage Foreclosures". New York Times
(Associated Press). January 6, 1983. Alternative names
http://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/06/us/around- Short description
the-nation-pittsburgh-judge-halts-mortgage- Date of birth
foreclosures.html.
Place of birth Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
[4] Mistick, Joseph Sabino (2006-11-26). "The sheriff".
Pittsburgh Tribune Review (The Tribune-Review Date of death 1998
Publishing Co.). http://www.pittsburghlive.com/ Place of death Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/mistick/
s_481249.html.
[5] "Editorial -- Sheriff Coon". Pittsburgh Post Gazette
(PG Publishing). 1998-10-28. http://www.post-
gazette.com/forum/19981026edcoon2.asp.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eugene_Coon&oldid=447710477"
Categories:
• 1998 deaths
• University of Pittsburgh alumni
• People from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania local politicians
• American military personnel of the Korean War
• Law enforcement biography stubs
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania stubs
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