Former state policeman pleads guilty in death of trooper

A former state police firearms instructor pleaded guilty Tuesday to reckless endangerment in the shooting death of a rookie trooper during a training exercise in Montgomery County in the fall.

Cpl. Richard Schroeter, 43, shot and killed Trooper David Kedra during a firearms course on Sept. 30. Kedra, 26, was one of five troopers seated around a table during a safety course when Schroeter, the instructor, pulled the trigger on his firearm and shot Kedra in the abdomen, according to a grand jury presentment in the case.

By pleading guilty, Schroeter accepted responsibility for the accidental shooting, his attorney said. But the plea did not bring comfort to Kedra's family, which has criticized the District Attorney's Office for not charging Schroeter with manslaughter. Schroeter will face a maximum of five to 10 years in prison on the five misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment, though the crime has no mandatory prison time.

Schroeter, who has retired from the state police since the shooting, briefly took the stand in a Montgomery County courtroom Tuesday morning to plead guilty. He had tears in his eyes as he left the courtroom and declined to speak with reporters.

"There's not a day goes by that he doesn't think about this, and he's devastated that something like this happened," said his attorney, Timothy Woodward. "Certainly it was unintentional. It was accidental."

Woodward said his client is a decorated trooper and will have "no shortage" of people to appear on his behalf when he is sentenced.

Prosecutors charged Schroeter with reckless endangerment in February, based on the recommendation of a grand jury. The grand jury was also given the option of an involuntary-manslaughter charge, but 10 of 18 jurors rejected that charge.

The guilty plea did not ease the pain of Kedra's family, Kevin Kedra, the trooper's older brother, said in an interview Tuesday.

"It's like I ran over a child, and I pled guilty to speeding in a school zone," Kevin Kedra said.

Kevin Kedra said he was disappointed to hear from prosecutors that the misdemeanor crimes may not result in a prison sentence for Schroeter.

"Where is the message that you can't be this reckless and this stupid in handling a gun?" Kevin Kedra said. "Because there is a price to be paid."

Deputy District Attorney Samantha Cauffman said Kedra's family members would have an opportunity to speak at Schroeter's sentencing.

"Nothing is ever going to make this better for them," she said.