Rogue Narcotics Cops: Philadelphia judge overturns 158 convictions in one day
A Philadelphia judge on Friday reversed 158 narcotics convictions tainted by allegations of police corruption - the largest such dismissal in one day in city history.
The rulings by Common Pleas Court President Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper were the latest fallout from the federal prosecution of seven police narcotics officers.
The officers - Thomas Liciardello, Brian Reynolds, Michael Spicer, Perry Betts, Linwood Norman, and John Speiser - were acquitted of all charges at a federal trial in May.
A seventh officer, Jeffrey Walker, pleaded guilty to separate federal corruption charges and testified against his former colleagues at trial. Walker was sentenced last month to 31/2 years in prison by a federal judge who credited his cooperation with prosecutors.
The officers Walker testified against got their jobs back after they were acquitted, but police officials announced Thursday that one, Betts, will be suspended with intent to dismiss after testing positive for using marijuana.
Despite the outcome of the federal trial, the reexamination by the Defender Association of Philadelphia and the District Attorney's Office of the integrity of hundreds of arrests in which the seven were involved continues.
Public defender Bradley S. Bridge estimated that Friday's total brings to 560 the convictions involving the seven officers that have been vacated since they were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2014.
More are on the way.
Woods-Skipper set another hearing for Oct. 30, at which an additional 40 convictions are expected to be reversed. And Bridge estimated that his office has finished reviewing only 40 percent of convictions involving the six acquitted officers.