Rayco L. Saunders made for a lousy witness this week against three men charged with conspiring to kill him.

            Mr. Saunders, 31, of Beltzhoover, appeared at the Allegheny County courthouse Tuesday for the start of the trial wearing a T- Shirt emblazoned with the inscription “Stop Snitching.”

            Assistant District Attorney Lisa Pelligrini would not allow him to enter the courtroom wearing the T- shirt. When he would not turn it inside out, he was removed from the courthouse.

            Because of his refusal to cooperate and without his testimony, prosecutors had to withdraw charges against Jason T. Korey, 23, formerly of Baldwin Borough, and Keilan A. Walls, 29, and Shawn M. Davis, both of Mount Oliver Borough.

            The case against the three men alleges that Mr. Walls and Mr. Saunders were involved in a dispute over a woman.  To settle it, Mr. Korey has hired to kill Mr. Saunders, and he borrowed a gun from Mr. Davis to do it.

            Mr. Walls had been charged with criminal conspiracy and violation of the Uniform Firearms Act.

            The would-be victim had been less than cooperative with the investigators on the case and his refusal to cooperate when the case was to begin Tuesday cinched it for the defense.

            Mr. Saunders is a professional boxer with a criminal history that includes a gun violation.

            Prosecutors alleged that Mr. Walls hired Mr. Korey to kill Mr. Saunders over a dispute with a girlfriend.  Mr. Korey that got the gun from Mr. Davis and drove past Mr. Saunders’ house several times to carry out the hit, but Mr. Saunders was never home, prosecutors said.

            Prosecutors were perturbed at the ominous message on Mr. Saunders’ T- shirt.

            “As part of our act of community outreach efforts, this office frequently lets both adults and young people alike know that the ‘Stop Snitching’ message is counter-productive to the work that law enforcement on all levels does each and every day.” Mike Manko, spokesman for District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr., said yesterday.

            “Anything that even remotely hints at or encourages any sort of witness intimidation will be vigorously prosecuted by this office,” he added.

            The T-shirts are sold in many retail outlets across the country, including some in Pittsburgh.

            Not all of the defendants were set free after the charges were withdrawn.

            Mr. Korey already is serving a 33-year federal prison sentence for possessing a gun used in one of two murders of which he was convicted in July.

            Mr. David is to stand trial in January on charges of criminal mischief and escape.  He also has been indicted by a federal grand jury on weapons charges.

Jim McKinnon can be reached at jmckinnon@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1939