Thursday, April 23, 2015

"Ram-Shacked" At The Rogue Cops Trial

By Ralph Cipriano
for Bigtrial.net

As the prosecution in the rogue cops trial winds down its case, they're scraping the bottom of the barrel for witnesses.

One drug dealer on the witness stand today confessed that he had two different names.

Another drug dealer testifying on behalf of the government who was unsteady on his feet looked and smelled like he may have been drinking his favorite beverage again, Grey Goose Vodka.

Meanwhile, Judge Eduardo C. Robreno announced that the trial was moving much faster than expected, and that the prosecution would be winding down its case this week. As rumors swept the courtroom that one of the reasons why was that another unreliable prosecution witness was about to be ejected from the case.

The government has already had to drop a couple of witnesses; one drug dealer because he got arrested again, another drug dealer because he got caught lying under oath. So it would be no surprise if a third prosecution witness gets the boot. Since there's a gag order in the case, none of the lawyers can comment.

The day began with the cross-examination of Kenneth Williams, a former state trooper and self-confessed marijuana user.

On Tuesday, Williams told the jury that the defendants broke down the door of his home on North 51st Street on June 30, 2010 and seized $16,200. That included $14,000 that Williams claimed he had hidden in a suit pocket in his bedroom. A police report, however, said the cops only found $2,413 in cash.

The bulk of the $14,000, Williams said on direct testimony, came from a worker's comp settlement. Asked why he didn't keep the $14,000 in a bank, Williams told the prosecutor on Tuesday, "I had an issue with family court."

"You were hiding the money?" Assistant U.S. Attorney Wzorek asked.

"I was in arrears in payments for child support," was how Williams put it.

On cross-examination today under questioning from defense lawyer Jack McMahon, Williams admitted that the worker's compensation settlement supposedly came through 10 years earlier.

McMahon asked if Williams had any paperwork to prove he had ever received the worker's compensation payment.

"I don't," Williams responded.

McMahon implied that Williams was a less than honorable father when he asked the witness if he was "hiding it [the money] from his children."

Williams insisted he was hiding the money from family court.

McMahon was clearly unimpressed.

"I have no other questions for this guy," the defense lawyer said before he sat down.

The next prosecution witness to testify against the defendants was another drug dealer named C. Thomas. Or was it C. Whitaker.

He's named "C.T." in the indictment. During his time on the stand, the witness revealed that his last name was an alias he gave police when he was first arrested at 13. His real name is Mr. Whitaker, the witness said. But throughout this case everyone has  called him Mr. Thomas.

Whatever.  It's a government witness were talking about.

Thomas's story was that on March 23, 2010, he heard a "boom, boom, boom" at the door and when he opened it, he saw some cops in uniform. They searched the house and found a bag of marijuana in a dresser drawer in a second-story bedroom.

"They pulled me out of the house," said Thomas, a scruffy, bearded drug dealer with a deep voice. "We had a little tussle," he said about his altercation with the defendants.

It was a case of mistaken identity, Thomas said. The cops were really after his cousin, who lived in the house that Thomas owned on the 1600 block of Annin Street in South Philadelphia. When the cops figured out who he really was, the witness testified, they took the cuffs off him and slapped the cuffs on his cousin and took him away.

The incident involving Thomas is described as "Episode #14" in the indictment, which charges that former Officers Linwood Norman and Jeffrey Walker allegedly stole $20,000 found in a second-floor bedroom. According to the indictment, Norman and Walker falsely reported that only $1,000 in cash had been seized from the Annin Street property.

On the witness stand, Thomas said the cops had left his place "ram-shacked." Usually, the drug dealers that testify for the prosecution say the cops "ransacked" their homes.

Thomas also told a different story about how much money was allegedly stolen.

"I had money in a sandwich bag," Thomas testified. "Around $10,000 to $15,000."

"I just make a sale that day," he said.

Why didn't you file a complaint with the police so you could try to get your money back, the prosecutor wanted to know.

"Cause it's drug money," Thomas said.

On cross-examination, Thomas told defense lawyer Jack McMahon that he didn't live at the Annin Street property, he just kept drugs there and let his cousin live there rent-free.

"I go over to my house and chill some times," Thomas explained.

The day the cops showed up, Thomas testified, he was chilling with his cousin. He also invited a young woman over and, "I was chilling with her too," the witness told the jury.

The next witness was Victor Rosario, a former West Philadelphia marijuana dealer with a British accent and a conman's gift of gab. On Feb. 3, 2010, Rosario told the jury, he was arrested by former Officers Thomas Liciardello and Brian Reynolds.

That day, Rosario told the jury, he was driving around in a rented Honda Accord with ten pounds of marijuana in his trunk. He was on his way to deliver the dope to a family friend when he was pulled over in a Lowe's parking lot and arrested by "two big black police officers," the witness said. He identified the two officers as Linwood Norman and Jeffrey Walker.

Asked by the prosecutor what his reaction was to being pulled over by the cops, Rosario replied, "Oh Shit."

At first, Rosario said, the cops told him they pulled him over because he fit the description of a robbery suspect. But after they searched his car and found the marijuana, the witness testified, the cops told him he was in big trouble.

On the witness stand, Rosario claimed that Liciardello told him, "We know freedom is right here if I can make a call."

What they wanted him to do, the witness claimed, was to give up his suppliers. But Rosario told the jury he didn't cooperate. He also told a new story on the witness stand, claiming that Liciardello told him it was "dry out there," and that if he needed weed, the cop supposedly could supply it.

The officers took $5,000 out of his pocket, the witness claimed. Liciardello took his keys, Rosario testified, and gave them to Officer  Reynolds.

Officer Reynolds, Rosario said, drove over to his house and ransacked it. He also allegedly stole a Rolex watch worth $5,700 and jewelry from Rosario's house on North St. Bernard St.

And that's not all that was missing.

Rosario said that he stored a collection of Tiffany jewelry at his house that he bought for his girlfriend at the "romantic time of the year."

The cops only reported finding $1,858 in cash. They also found 12 pounds of marijuana and a gun registered to Rosario's girlfriend.

Rosario said he later saw an identical watch on the arm of Officer Brian Reynolds during a court hearing at the Criminal Justice Center. The officer pointed to the watch and mouthed "thank you" the witness claimed.

On cross-examination, Rosario told Jack McMahon about his usual daily routine on the day he got busted.

"I remember everything," the witness assured the defense lawyer.

Rosario told McMahon that on his daily rounds he always looked in on his elderly grandmother, and did favors for her like taking out the trash. In fact, the day he got busted he was on his way to grandma's house.

"I'm well-respected," Rosario assured McMahon. He also told the defense lawyer that he was "very romantic."

"Victor Rosario buys gifts for his lady," Rosario said. But he admitted that he didn't have the receipt for the $5,700 watch.

"I lost it," Rosario claimed.

Why didn't he file a complaint about his missing jewelry, McMahon asked.

"I just left it to karma," Rosario said.

In his opening statement to the jury, McMahon, on behalf of former Officer Reynolds, told the jury that his client bought his Rolex watch on Oct. 6, 2007 with $4,000 borrowed from the Philadelphia Police and Fire Credit Union.

In court today, McMahon showed Rosario pictures of Reynolds in family photos with his children. In the photos, Reynolds was wearing a Rolex watch.

"I didn't say he took it," Rosario responded. "I said it was the same kind of watch."

After a lunch break, Rosario complained to Judge Robreno about the hostile vibes he was supposedly getting from one defendant, as well as one of the defendants' relatives who was a spectator in the courtroom.

"I don't have any acrimony toward anybody in the room," Rosario assured the judge.

Rosario accused former Officer John Speiser of smiling and winking at him. Rosario also accused a relative in the courtroom, Tommy Liciardello's stepfather, of threatening the former drug dealer in an elevator.

"You have something you want to say to me," Rosario said Liciardello's stepfather allegedly told him. Rosario told the judge he replied, "Yes, it's a beautiful day."

"I just feel very threatened," Rosario told the judge. The witness claimed in the elevator that Liciardello's step-father made a threatening gesture toward him, by running his hand under his chin.

Rosario claimed the cops raided his home without a search warrant. While he was being held prisoner, Rosario claimed, the cops called and wanted his security code for the alarm system.

McMahon, however, went over the timing of the events on the night Rosario was arrested and said that court and police records showed Rosario was mistaken.

Rosario was arrested at 5:25 p.m., police records show. At 7:45 p.m., an assistant district attorney approved a search warrant of Rosario's house. By 8 p.m., a bail commissioner had signed off on the search of Rosario's house, which was executed at 9 p.m. by the cops.

Rosario, however, remained unconvinced. He also had some more stories to tell.

Three years after his arrest, Rosario said, he found out that Liciardello had been arrested. To celebrate, Rosario called Liciardello on the cop's cell phone.

The same cell phone number, Rosario said, that Liciardello had given him in hopes that Rosario would give up his suppliers.

"I was gonna pick at him [Liciardello] because he was in trouble," Rosario claimed. But he decided against it, and hung up before Liciardello could answer the phone, the witness told the jury.

On cross-examination, defense lawyer Jimmy Binns inquired about Rosario's breakup with his girlfriend, whose name was on the lease for the apartment that Rosario claimed had been ransacked by the cops. Rosario told the jury he had broken up with his girlfriend because she was cheating on him.

You were in jail for three months after your arrest, Binns reminded Rosario. During that time when your girlfriend was cheating on you, she could have gone in the apartment, brought along anybody she wanted, and taken back her jewelry.

She didn't take her jewelry, Rosario insisted.

Binns went over the last time Rosario saw his Rolex watch. Counting the three months he had been in jail, Binns figured, 13 months had elapsed between the time Rosario claimed he last wore his watch and the time Rosario saw Officer Reynolds wearing a similar watch in court.

You girlfriend could have taken all her jewelry and your watch and traded it in for a gun she bought for you in a straw purchase, Binns suggested.

But the prosecutor objected and the judge sustained the objection.

The last drug dealer to testify was Leonard Sammons.

Sammons told the jury that on Aug. 18, 2010, he sold 200 Percocets to a woman who was a regular customer. He always made his sales in the same place, the witness told the jury, the parking lot of the Hess Gas Station at 34th and Grays Ferry.

"She gets the product, she leaves," the drug dealer said.

A few days later, the same customer wanted more pills.

Sammons told the jury he was on his way to the Hess Gas Station again, carrying $1,100. He was drinking a half pint of Gray Goose, as apparently is his custom. That's when he was arrested by the defendants.

"They told me to get the fuck out of my car," the witness said. Licardello, the witness said, put him in handcuffs.

He was looking at 15-to-20 years in jail, Salmons said. That's when Sammons claimed that Licardello told him, "I better give him somebody."

Sammons testified that he told Licardello, "I don't have nobody to give you."

When he saw a mug shot of Officer Walker in dreadlocks, that's the guy, the witness said.

Samnons claimed that Officer Walker had sworn out a false statement that claimed he had bought 182 pills from Salmons for $600.

"I never sold to him in my life," Sanmons said of Officer Walker, the prosecution's star witness against his former brother officers.

The prosecution's sorry case is expected to wind up Thursday when the trial is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. in Courtroom 15A. Then the defense is expected to parade a bunch of superior officers to the witness stand to testify that all the drug busts the jury has heard about were legitimate jobs. And that the defendants were standup guys.

These are superior officers who supposedly were never interviewed by the feds.

It should be an entertaining story that's expected to start on Friday.

39 comments

  1. Three more lying witnesses testified yesterday ' for all anonymous haters can you find one incident in this article that these officers commited a crime ? Hopefully the Prosecution will wrap there sorry of a presentation today. Any Juror who has had to sit through this has to ask themselves why they are sitting in a court room for such nonsense. When this is all said and done the defendents will have ample evidence for how they were wronged railroaded embarassed by the Government for Parading convicts up there costing these guys there Jobs and them and there familys emotional stress for no reason but someone having a hard on for these guys doing there Jobs getting convictions and drug dealers off the street. CAN ANYONE SAY LAWSUIT. Thats what these 6 will be filing after there found NOT GUILTY. The question i have here is who is policing the people who even let this cade go to trial in the first place. If any reprimanding should be done lets start there. And ONE MORE THING COMMISIONER RAMSEY SHOULD HAND HIS RESIGNATION IN FOR HIS COMMEMTS HE MADE ABOUT THESE GENTLE MAN INNOCENT TILL PROVEN GUILTY. TIME TO GO MR RAMSEY. MAYOR U WANNA CLEAN UP SHIT START FROM THE TOP IT ROLLS DOWN HILL. HOPE HE DID.NT MELT THEM BADGES. THIS A NO BRAINER FOR THE JURY HERE. NOT GUILTY MY FRIENDS. TIME TO MOVE ON !!! And im no cop just a concern Citizen who.s hoping to see these guys don.t go to Jail for these convicts trying to cut there sentences for crimes that were proven they commited without any tainted evidence. Unlike the evidence that was presented in this case and the lack of truths spoken by these witnesses

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  2. If Walmer is planning on writing a book like he says he is, he may want to write it as a comedy cause this is a total fucking joke. It would be comical except for the fact that lives have been ruined, reputations destroyed families turned upside down and careers gone. Total disgrace.

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  3. Also folks there are some anonymous people on here blinded by there hatred if these officers. Most i think are witnesses or others that were arrested by these Gentlemen. Also i believe there are a few of there fellow officers Jealous by the accolades these narco officers received. Not everyone is cut out to be a narc officer some are better at pushing the mike handling traffic domestic or other hazardous dutys of the Job. But remember when passing Judgement on these officers it could be you fighting for your life when one of your scumbag buddies cuts a deal to save his lying ass . Food for thought

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  4. The courts and especially this judge should be ashamed pf themselves for even entertaining such a trail, what a lack of evidence and as far as witnesses, I have no words for the people they called in. No way a jury can convict them on the testimony presented thus far, its a real joke. Same on the feds, they should all be fired for running such a half ass investigation.

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    1. I have respect for Mr Robreno he.s a cops guy i here but what he has allowed the Government to get away with here is a blemish on his career and a total disgrace for the Eastern district of the bureau of investigation. I think the boss would be Zane Memenger not sure.

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    2. They will be found guilty.

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    3. And if there found guilty anonymous then theres a problem here . Up a little early aren.t you anonymous somebody get there welfare check and wake you my bad thats next week.

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  5. These officers and their families are in my prayers.

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  6. At Reynolds bail hearing, Wzorek tried desperately to get the judge to hold Reynolds without bail because of how "arrogant" he was for stealing Rosario's watch. Now, at trial, Rosario testifies "I didn't say he took it, I said it was the same kind of watch." I agree with JB, there are some major lawsuits that are gonna be filed. Godspeed gentleman.

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  7. JB, Jim G, Anonymous 8:55,
    Yes, Yes, Yes It's like a breath of fresh air reading comments based on actual facts of this trial as a whole, rather then people shooting off their mouth and commenting on this case based on jealousy or a grudge held with these 6 men.
    I think a lot of people are looking forward to these gentlemen getting what they can of their lives back. It's unbelievable that the Feds have done what they did here, someone should be investigating them.

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    1. All of the idiot drugdealers will be chiming in soon. They are just getting up around now.

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    2. They got a late start, but they made it to the party.

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    3. M.T i was gonna right that but you beat me to it. So true late start it was pay day today .they had to get there product out there. All good now they are Lol

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  8. Another example of a poor investigation by the Feds who relish targeting police. Check on past prosecution attempts by Tony Wzorek and you will see what I mean

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    1. Yes, Traffic Court was one of his most recent waste of tax papers money, not to mention what it did to the judges, bringing disgrace, ruined reputations, life savings used on defense. What should have been ethical violations handled by the Judicial Conduct Review Board of the Supreme Court turned into a federal case. I suppose its nice to have friends in the Federal Building doing your dirty work, why do things through the proper channels when the feds can do the work for you , accomplishing a calculated revenge on old political foes, all in one sweep. I would say Wzorek is scheming against the American people. Prosecutors love the word scheme, they use it quite frequently. Are there any honest prosecutors to be found ?

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  9. Those lawyers in the US Attorney's Office should realize that getting scumbag drug dealers off of our streets requires getting your hand's dirty. They went to good schools and had political connections, so they never had to find out what hard work is. Try filling in for the officers who have had their lives ruined by this prosecution just for doing their thankless jobs.

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  10. Wzorek and the entire prosecution team should be investigated.
    The fundamentals of basic investigative practices and procedures were skipped just to guarantee a grand jury indictment. A dirty cop - with a drinking problem, depression and suicidal thoughts - makes a deal with the prosecutors and feeds them fantastic stories about illegal activity. Do the prosecutors interview any of the supervisors or other officers who were on the scene to ascertain if these stories are true? No, because they would not have been able to get an indictment. The prosecution interviews drug dealers arrested by this unit, and hears all kinds of wild stories about robbery, abduction and kidnapping. Do they interview anyone else to corroborate these stories - supervisors, other police officers, bartenders, neighbors, etc. Nope. Why follow the basics of investigative procedures?
    Who gave the prosecutors their marching orders? Someone needs to investigate the real reason behind this disgrace of an investigation.

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  11. The absolute worst FBI investigation ever and the defense has not even begun

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  12. Why are the Mayoral candidates not asking Chief Inspector Tony Boyle , to tell His side of the story why he got transfer . The E Mails He sent out to 13,000 active and retirees accusing Commissioner Ramsey of Covering up crimes , and eoc complaints concerning female officers . Also Commissioner Ramsey cover for inspector Horne and Captain McCloskey . He said they did not commit felonies they made a mistake .




    He also accused Commissioner Ramsey of promoting unqualified people . Also why did the Commissioner Replace Chief Inspector Boyle , with Chief inspector Chris Werner ? Chief Werner refused to cooperate with a FBI investigation concerning corruption in narcotics . He wanted immunity from prosecution . Deputy Commissioner Blackburn wanted immunity also . We need a federal grand jury to investigate Commissioner Ramsey and his Deputy Commissioners .

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  13. Chief inspector Chris Werner ? Chief Werner refused to cooperate with a FBI investigation concerning corruption in narcotics . He wanted immunity from prosecution . Deputy Commissioner Blackburn wanted immunity also .

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  14. According to George Anastasia, the FBI said "the supervisors wanted the interviews to take place in the department's Internal Affairs office. They police supervisors also asked that the interviews be videotaped and requested that they be given copies of the tapes. Federal authorities would not agree to those conditions."
    "McMahon and other defense attorneys have hammered away at the government's failure to tape record and video tape witness interviews, implying that investigators could more easily manipulate testimony if their statements were not recorded."
    The supervisors did not trust the FBI and wanted the interviews to be videotaped so that their words could not be twisted around, taken out of context and manipulated by investigators. Joey Mack, sell that stuff somewhere else.

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    1. U would think that is the norm today to protect everyone involved. Hell even the inner citys were shootings are the norm especialy when a white cop zips a democrat know video and audio can.t be defended somebody drop the soap i mean ball here. U would think the feds would want audio and pics. There the poster childs for that kind of stuff. Just ask Skinny and Uncle Joe! !!

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  15. Inquiring minds wanna knowApril 23, 2015 at 8:48 PM

    The Mayor wants to clean up trash he needs to start with Commissioner Ramsey. Its safe to say he wore out his welcome and those he has promoted that are incompetent at there Jobs must go too. But Mayor Nuttie don.t want to touch that one because Rev Sharpie and i don.t mean the magic marker might pay a visit and open a whole can of worms for fishing expedition and nobody knows the brass they.ll catch there . Need to get out in front of this Mayor being the lame duck they call it. If the feds lose this case nobody will be safe in the city old Zane memenger will make sure of that Mayor!!!!!

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  16. I was robbed by these cops and I have proof of my rights being violated.I have a pizza receipt with the officers phone number on it.The time on the receipt is two hours before search warrant was issued.Are these cops allowed to have a pizza party in my house watching on demand cable while sitting on my couch two hours before the warrant.Then they stole money to.My kids communion money and baptism money.Also they stole 5k from my room.And yes I have proof.I received a Social security disability check for 17k four months earlier.Oh yes I have a receipt for that to.I should be a witness in this case.I can prove my statements except my kids monies.

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    1. Was it plain or pepperoni??

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    2. You don't need a search warrant to have a pizza party

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    3. there used to be an old saying, he's a mob lawyer. that statement means the monsters use them and they are good lawyers, now the saying is he's a cop lawyer meaning the same thing as a mob lawyer.these crazy cops are worse than mobsters

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    4. They do need a search warrant to be in your house.I think any good cop would agree with that at least.It's obvious how guilty Tommy L is.Even molesters and rapists get a bail.He was denied bail at least twice.And just say they are only guilty of 5% of these accusations.They still broke the law they are supposed to uphold...




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    5. Hurry up if your lucky the Prosecution might let you testify.If you know any other drug dealers bring them too. Make sure you rehearse your stories. Then when you get on the stand realize how ridiculous the story your about to tell or forgot no problem just make one up. Then under cross examination contradict everthing you Just said. It seems to be the norm for this trial. But hurry Prosecution is about to rest and when they do question themselves if there in a real court house with a real Jury and a real Judge or is it a mock trial by Highschool students trying to earn extra credit for a better grade.

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    6. JB just about summed up the passed 3 weeks in that paragraph if anyone wants to catch up. Well done!

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  17. if someone out there knows Tom L.Reynolds.and Mike speiser.they stole my viagra. I am not kidding, right hand of God that I'm telling the truth, they stole my freaking viagra!! I just don't know which one did it. also they beat me up stole my money and put me through hell. but they stole my freakin viagra. how low can a man go. true story

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    1. You gotta scrip for them trade bag of dope for them that one of your users Robbed from somebody else

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  18. 1- There is no such person Mike Speiser
    2- You asked how low a man can go, but the real question is, how long a man can go.... now that he has your Viagra ?

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    1. LOL! that's good one,you know you cops give each other phony metals and all that other s***pat each other on the back, but the real test is being locked up by Tommy and the boys and not cooperating, you know the beating you have to take, I could sit here with a smile on my face and I say this,the beatings I took from him and the gang I never call ,cooperated, I never did, and when you don't cooperate with Tommyyou think you're going to get killed by him, he's a freaking nut, that gets his rocks off by beating people, I went through it, but I never cooperated, and that just makes him madder, some of you people make me sick

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    2. Maybe he should.ve killed you. But truth be said by your statement you Just made this story up for what ever reason i cannot comprehend other than your Just not right in the head. Because if he beat you like you said there would have to be some hospital you checked in for your injuries.

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  19. Tommy L asked someone i know to buy drugs then plant then on a target he wanted to take down. The guy did it and the target went to jail. Proof.
    Ps
    The pro Tommy fans should stop the ra ra shis boom bah crap before these ex dope dealers really become vindictive and walk into the court room with newly discovered evidence that would crucify tommy to the holy cross.

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    1. Go smoke another Joint you idiot or pills were gonna walk into court shit you kidding me. You or any of u dealers go any where near that court house they.ll slap the shit out of you guys cuff your ass beat your ass you.ll wish Tommy and the boys were arresting your ass. You.ll be charged with a terrorist act so fast make your head spin better than thst shit your baking

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    2. To whom it may concern,
      Based on this comment above wich states several misleading facts: If you have any new information wich may lead to the further conviction of these six ex police officers on trial you may walk into The Federal court (courtroom mentioned) and approach the the clerk or bailiff and they will point you in the right direction.

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  20. "Ex dope dealers" Laughing Out Loud

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