A former KDKA reporter pleaded no contest on Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge of taking a handgun into the Allegheny County Courthouse.

Rob Milford, 55, formerly of Castle Shannon but now living in Pensacola, Fla., appeared in court to answer the charges that date back to June 2008.

Mr. Milford was entering the courthouse to cover the trial of the East End rapist June 16 when police found a .38-caliber snub-nosed revolver in his briefcase as he put it through the metal detector at the entrance. It was loaded.

Defense attorney Wendy Williams previously argued that her client did not know the gun was in the briefcase.

At Tuesday's plea hearing, Judge Jeffrey A. Manning ordered Mr. Milford to pay court costs but gave no additional penalty - despite a plea agreement calling for five years probation.

"This is a gentleman whose life was turned upside down," Ms. Williams said.

Mr. Milford was hired as a morning general assignment reporter with KDKA in April 2006. He previously worked for Fox News Radio and reported from Iraq twice.

He resigned from KDKA shortly after the incident at the courthouse.

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