An internal inquiry by the Allegheny County district attorney's office has determined that a deputy DA violated the courtroom code of civility during a May 6 argument with a public defender.

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Deputy District Attorney Mark Tranquilli plans to write a letter of apology to District Judge Rob Wyda, who was on the bench when Tranquilli and Assistant Public Defender James Sheets launched into an angry back-and-forth during a preliminary hearing for a homicide suspect.

Tranquilli and Sheets were arguing before Wyda about whether the suspect should be granted bond when Tranquilli asked the defense attorney if he needed time to "sober up."

Sheets shot back with profanities and told Tranquilli he would beat him up, all while family and friends of the homicide victim and suspect watched.

"We have concluded that although [Tranquilli] may not have violated any rules of disciplinary conduct, he violated the rules of civility," District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said yesterday.

Zappala said it was Tranquilli's idea to send Wyda a written apology.

"As far as I'm concerned, at that point our process has concluded," Zappala said.

Zappala had no comment on Sheets' conduct, and neither did Sheets' boss, Chief Public Defender Michael Machen.

"We're looking into this matter, so it's a personnel issue, so basically I can't make any comment on it," Machen said. "I ascribe to the code of civility. That's all I can really say."

The state Supreme Court adopted a code of civility in 2000 that sets down guidelines for attorneys' courtroom conduct.