PITTSBURGH - A judge denied a request to extend a gag order in the case of a man accused of killing three Pittsburgh police officers.

Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning said in Friday's order he can't restrict what people not involved in the case can say.

The order was meant to keep Gov. Ed Rendell and other officials from commenting on the case.

Public defender Lisa Middleman argued Rendell prejudiced potential jurors by saying he would quickly sign an execution order for her client, Richard Poplawski, 22.

Poplawski is accused of lying in wait and killing three officers summoned by his mother during an argument this month.

County prosecutors haven't confirmed they will seek the death penalty.

PITTSBURGH Two companies who want to open a strip club near Pittsburgh's planned slot machine casino sued the city challenging its adult entertainment ordinance.HDV-Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania Ave. Pittsburgh Properties said the ordinance is illegally restrictive. Among other things, the companies argue the ordinance doesn't allow for any districts where strip clubs or other "adult" businesses can open without prior city approval.The federal lawsuit asks a judge to strike down the ordinance and to award the businesses unspecified damages.The city has not responded or commented on the suit filed Wednesday.

HARRISBURG - A 65-mile portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike will close for a few hours to allow for a bridge to be demolished.The area between the Breezewood and Carlisle interchanges will close at 11 p.m. Saturday. Traffic should be back to normal by 8 a.m. Sunday.The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission set up a detour that adds about 30 minutes of travel time and 33 miles to the trip.

PITTSBURGH - Some employees at Duquesne University are facing a pay freeze.Duquesne President Charles Dougherty announced the move in an e-mail Friday. The freeze applies to faculty and staff not covered by collective bargaining agreements.Dougherty said the school's latest reports show fewer students have committed by way of deposits than at the same point last year.The school has about 2,300 employees.

ERIE - A city police officer was suspended after someone posted to the Web a video of him, in a bar and apparently intoxicated, joking about a homicide victim.In his profanity-laced rant, James Cousins II talks about the victim being shot in the forehead and his body lying outside a bar below a malt liquor sign that reads, "take it to the head." He laughs as he recounts seeing the dead man's leg twitch and the reaction of the victim's mother as she identifies him. Cousins also says he used his camera phone to take photos of the victim."We're looking at it like, 'One less drug dealer to deal with. Cool,"' he says on the video.Cousins, who was hired in 2004, was suspended with pay Wednesday after the Erie Times-News asked about the video. A phone message left Thursday at a number for a James Cousins was not immediately returned.Erie Police Chief Steve Franklin said Cousins was apparently drunk, but that an investigation would place the officer's comments in context."We see what's on the picture," Franklin said. "Let's see what's behind the picture before we make any rash decisions."It's not clear when the nearly eight-minute video was recorded. The shooting occurred in late March, and the video was posted to YouTube on April 6. The video was still up Thursday, but Erie police said they were trying to have it removed.The county's district attorney called Cousin's behavior unacceptable and apologized to the victim's family.The victim, who had convictions including possessing drugs and paraphernalia, was shot outside a bar after fighting with another man, police said.

SCRANTON - A politician in has been getting some ribbing from his colleagues for it, but he said having a drive-through window at his office is working great.State Rep. Kevin Murphy said his office in Scranton has the drive-through to make it easier for his constituents to see him. He said senior citizens, the disabled and those who have children in the car especially like the convenience of not having to walk into the office to drop off or pick up paperwork.The first-term Democrat said he personally staffs the drive-through most Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.