Hey Seth, where's the beef? |
for BigTrial.net
On Dec. 3, 2012, District Attorney R. Seth Williams wrote a two-paragraph letter to then Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey.
In the letter, Williams announced that in "an exercise of prosecutorial discretion," his office would no longer prosecute any drug case involving five Philadelphia narcotics officers, as well as their supervisor.
The letter, which the D.A.'s office allegedly leaked two days later to Fox 29, effectively put out of business "the most accomplished and effective narcotics unit in the history of the Philadelphia Police Department," according to court papers filed by a lawyer for the five narcotics officers and their supervisor.
The D.A's letter also prompted the city to eventually throw out about 800 drug cases involving arrests made by those narcotics officers. Of the 800 cases, about 175 accused drug dealers have turned around and filed civil rights lawsuits against the former narcs as well as the city of Philadelphia, seeking damages.
During litigation over one of those criminal cases that was subsequently dismissed, the public defender's office, representing one of the accused drug dealers, repeatedly asked Seth Williams to provide the "information and documents" that led the D.A. to write that letter that put the narcs out of business.
The public defender's office was expecting to discover the files, information and documents that backed up the D.A.'s letter that led to the dismissal of 800 drug cases. The disturbing answer to the public defender's repeated requests for discovery, however, was that there were no files, no information, no documents.
The bottom line, as revealed in five years of past criminal and civil litigation: Seth Williams wrote a letter that destroyed the careers of six police officers and freed 800 drug dealers without one shred of demonstrable proof to back up his words.
The losers in these ongoing legal battles are the taxpayers.
To defend itself in 175 civil rights lawsuits, the city is expected to spend millions of dollars in hiring five lawyers from the King of Prussia law firm of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, and two more lawyers from the Philadelphia law firm of Christie & Young.
The city's apparent legal defense strategy in the civil lawsuits: the narcs did everything by the book, the D.A.'s office signed off on every drug arrest by approving probable cause affidavits and search warrants, and Seth Williams had no basis to write that letter to the police commissioner.
It's not a stretch to believe that Williams went off half cocked against the narcs. There is already plenty of evidence on the record to question the judgment of R. Seth Williams
This is a district attorney who has already admitted that he improperly accepted $160,000 in unreported gifts from campaign donors.
A district attorney who has already admitted that he waited 12 days before reporting that his girlfriend had slashed his tires.
A district attorney who has a charitable organization, The Second Chance Foundation, where the board of directors, after receiving a federal subpoena for financial records, has already voted to disband the charity and give away its remaining assets.
The FBI and a grand jury are currently probing the D.A.'s campaign finances. Maybe somebody should also be investigating the D.A.'s use of prosecutorial discretion.
Here is the text of the D.A.'s 2012 letter to Commissioner Ramsey:
"Dear Commissioner Ramsay:
[By the way, it's Commissioner Ramsey; Seth couldn't even spell the former police commissioner's name right.]
"I am writing to inform you that in an exercise of prosecutorial discretion, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office will no longer be using the following officers as witnesses in narcotics cases," the district attorney wrote. Then, the D.A. listed the names of Police Officers Thomas Liciardello, Brian Reynolds, John Speiser, Michael Spicer and Perry Betts, as well as their supervisor, Lt. Robert Otto.
"Also the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office will no longer accept any narcotics cases for charging when any of these police officers is a necessary witness," Williams wrote. "Finally, we will no longer approve any search or arrest warrants on narcotics cases when any of these officers is the affiant, nor if the probable cause portion of the warrant contains any averments from any of these officers."
"Very truly yours,
R. Seth Williams, District Attorney."
For the narcs, the D.A.'s letter was just the start of their problems.
In a subsequent 26-count RICO indictment, the U.S. Attorney's office charged six former members of the narcotics field unit with routinely robbing and beating the drug dealers they had arrested. In the indictment, the feds charged that the narcs stole at least $500,000 from the drug dealers in cash and drugs, and that the cops tried to cover their tracks by falsifying police reports.
But the feds had no sting video or financial records to back up their charges. Instead, they relied on a former member of the narcotics unit who became a cooperating witness after he was caught red-handed stealing $15,000 in a sting operation. And the uncorroborated tales of 19 drug dealers with all kinds of credibility problems.
The result in court was a disaster for the government.
On May 14, 2015, after a trial that lasted nearly six weeks, a federal jury unanimously acquitted all six officers on all 47 charges. It was a complete repudiation of the government's racketeering case.
On July 10, 2015, an arbitrator ruled that all six officers would get their jobs back, plus a year's worth of back pay. [One of the officers, Perry Betts, was subsequently dismissed after he failed a drug test.]
So the former narcs survived their legal ordeal.
In a motion for a new trial and post-conviction relief filed Feb. 4, 20l3, public defenders Bradley S. Bridge and Lori Mach asked Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Sheila Skipper-Woods to order the D.A.'s office to turn over any so-called "Brady material."
The public defenders were referring to a landmark 1963 case, Brady v. Maryland, where the U.S. Supreme Court held that it was a violation of due process for the prosecution to withhold any information or "exculpatory evidence" that could be beneficial to a defendant.
The public defenders were seeking a new trial in the case of the Commonwealth v. Juan Vargas, who pleaded guilty on May 13, 2010 on drug charges and was sentenced to a prison term of 3 to 23 months.
"On Dec. 6, 20l2, Bradley S. Bridge, an attorney from the Defender’s Association of Philadelphia, wrote First Assistant District Attorney
Edward McCann, Esquire, and formally requested, pursuant to Brady v. Maryland,
material regarding the six officers contained in District Attorney Williams’ Dec. 3, l2
letter," the public defenders wrote in their motion for a new trial.
"First Assistant McCann verbally told Mr. Bridge that they were
dismissing the cases because of prosecutorial discretion and that there was
no Brady information," the public defenders wrote. "Attorney Bridge subsequently requested Brady material
again and on Jan. 8, 20l3, First Assistant District Attorney McCann again denied being in
possession of Brady material."
The public defenders were incredulous over McCann's response, so they asked the judge to order the D.A.'s office to turn over any Brady material. "Moreover, the failure of the D.A.’s office to provide Brady
material, whether or not it had been requested," constituted a violation of Brady v. Maryland, the public defenders wrote to the judge.
In their motion for a new trial, the public defenders argued that the 2012 letter that Seth Williams sent to the police commissioner "was obviously the result of an examination of information and documents by District Attorney Williams and others," the public defenders wrote. "The information and documents leading D.A. Williams to the conclusion that the officers were not trustworthy was unavailable to defense counsel at the time this case went to court."
In seeking Brady material, the public defenders continued to assert to the judge that the district attorney's office was stonewalling when it repeatedly said there was no Brady material.
"It is also particularly significant that the District Attorney's Office,
though in possession of information demonstrating the officers were corrupt, suppressed this information and
still has not disclosed it to defense counsel, though mandated to do so," the public defenders wrote.
The court record does not state what happened with the public defender's request to the judge to order the D.A.'s office to turn over any Brady material.
In a interview, Public Defender Bradley Bridge explained that he was ultimately able to work out a satisfactory resolution with the D.A.'s office, namely throwing out 800 drug arrests.
"If the cases are going to be thrown out, that satisfied my concerns," Bridge said. "I got more than I wanted so I'm not going to be greedy about it."
About the Brady material, Bridge said, "I don't recall off the top of my head any Brady material that was turned over. It was not even needed."
The court record does not state what happened with the public defender's request to the judge to order the D.A.'s office to turn over any Brady material.
In a interview, Public Defender Bradley Bridge explained that he was ultimately able to work out a satisfactory resolution with the D.A.'s office, namely throwing out 800 drug arrests.
"If the cases are going to be thrown out, that satisfied my concerns," Bridge said. "I got more than I wanted so I'm not going to be greedy about it."
About the Brady material, Bridge said, "I don't recall off the top of my head any Brady material that was turned over. It was not even needed."
The legal battle over whether the D.A. had any information or files to back up his letter to the police commissioner was repeated this year in federal court, where U.S. District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond is overseeing the civil rights cases filed by the accused drug dealers against the city and the former narcotics officers.
On July 28th, in the case of McIntyre v. Liciardello et al., Judge Diamond held a status conference on all outstanding discovery. No court reporter was present and no minutes were recorded. The judge, however, according to sources familiar with the proceeding, asked about the existence of any files to back up the district attorney's 2012 letter to the police commissioner.
The city's lawyers, who declined to comment, informed the judge that there were no such files.
The judge, according to sources, seemed incredulous, and asked for an explanation.
A spokesman for the district attorney's office did not respond to a request for comment.
The D.A.'s 2012 letter to former Police Commissioner Ramsey was the subject of a defamation and false light suit filed in federal court on behalf of the six officers named in the letter, against D.A. Williams, former Police Commissioner Ramsey, and former Mayor Michael A. Nutter.
The defamation suit was subsequently dismissed on June 6th by Judge Diamond. But on July 6th, a lawyer for the officers filed a notice of appeal.
In the defamation suit, attorney Christopher D. Mannix described the D.A.'s letter as "entirely misbegotten and irresponsible." It unleashed a "a gigantic, destructive avalanche of severe and permanent wrongs, damages and injustices" Mannix wrote, not only upon the narcs, "but upon all Philadelphia citizens who count on the fundamental purpose of government -- public safety and order through the criminal justice system."
When D.A. Williams sent his 2012 letter to Ramsey, "Plaintiff Otto was an extremely effective, skilled, dedicated, hard-working, honest and experienced Police Lieutenant," Mannix wrote. When D.A. Williams wrote his letter, according to Mannix, Officers Spicer, Reynolds, Betts, Speiser and Liciardello "were all extremely effective, skilled, dedicated, hard-working, experienced police officers."
"There was no legitimate reason" for D.A. Williams to write a "utterly reckless and irresponsible" letter to Ramsey, Mannix wrote.
According to Mannix, when the D.A.'s letter was delivered to Ramsey, "both the Commissioner and the District Attorney knew there was no legitimate evidence against the Plaintiffs' honesty and credibility."
The D.A.'s office, according to the defamation suit, was also responsible for leaking the D.A.'s letter to the media.
On Dec. 2, 2012, according to the complaint filed by Mannix, First Assistant District Attorney McCann, the second-highest ranking official in the D.A's office, "instructed Director of Communications/Spokesperson [Tasha] Jamerson on how to handle media inquiries about the letter."
At the time, Jamerson's husband, according to the defamation suit, was the managing editor of Fox 29.
The Williams letter to Ramsey, publicized by the media, "stigmatized and humiliated the Plaintiffs," Mannix wrote, as well as "impugned, blackened and utterly disparaged their professional and personal reputations."
"Criminals began to walk free, " Mannix wrote. Meanwhile, the narcs became the criminal targets of "very public scorn," Mannix wrote, even though there was "never a scintilla of evidence" for D.A. Williams to attack "the credibility and honesty" of the cops.
"D.A. Williams," Mannix wrote, "was not exercising legitimate prosecutorial discretion in the writing of the letter."'
When D.A. Williams sent his 2012 letter to Ramsey, "Plaintiff Otto was an extremely effective, skilled, dedicated, hard-working, honest and experienced Police Lieutenant," Mannix wrote. When D.A. Williams wrote his letter, according to Mannix, Officers Spicer, Reynolds, Betts, Speiser and Liciardello "were all extremely effective, skilled, dedicated, hard-working, experienced police officers."
"There was no legitimate reason" for D.A. Williams to write a "utterly reckless and irresponsible" letter to Ramsey, Mannix wrote.
According to Mannix, when the D.A.'s letter was delivered to Ramsey, "both the Commissioner and the District Attorney knew there was no legitimate evidence against the Plaintiffs' honesty and credibility."
The D.A.'s office, according to the defamation suit, was also responsible for leaking the D.A.'s letter to the media.
On Dec. 2, 2012, according to the complaint filed by Mannix, First Assistant District Attorney McCann, the second-highest ranking official in the D.A's office, "instructed Director of Communications/Spokesperson [Tasha] Jamerson on how to handle media inquiries about the letter."
At the time, Jamerson's husband, according to the defamation suit, was the managing editor of Fox 29.
According to the lawsuit, McCann "instructed Jamerson that she had authority to communicate to the press that the D.A.'s office would no longer be using the six Plaintiffs in narcotics cases because of prosecutorial discretion."
Two days after it was written, the D.A.'s letter was in the hands of Jamerson's husband, the managing editor at Fox 29, according to the defamation lawsuit. The decision to publicize the D.A.'s letter to Ramsey was "explicitly authorized" by superiors in her office Mannix wrote, and was "made and carried out in bad faith and with deliberate indifference to, and reckless disregard for, the liberty, interests and the reputational interests of the Plaintiffs."
Two days after it was written, the D.A.'s letter was in the hands of Jamerson's husband, the managing editor at Fox 29, according to the defamation lawsuit. The decision to publicize the D.A.'s letter to Ramsey was "explicitly authorized" by superiors in her office Mannix wrote, and was "made and carried out in bad faith and with deliberate indifference to, and reckless disregard for, the liberty, interests and the reputational interests of the Plaintiffs."
The Williams letter to Ramsey, publicized by the media, "stigmatized and humiliated the Plaintiffs," Mannix wrote, as well as "impugned, blackened and utterly disparaged their professional and personal reputations."
"Criminals began to walk free, " Mannix wrote. Meanwhile, the narcs became the criminal targets of "very public scorn," Mannix wrote, even though there was "never a scintilla of evidence" for D.A. Williams to attack "the credibility and honesty" of the cops.
"D.A. Williams," Mannix wrote, "was not exercising legitimate prosecutorial discretion in the writing of the letter."'
Why did the D.A. want to put the narcs and their supervisor out of business? Seth Williams has been publicly silent on the subject. The defamation complaint, however, filed by the officers provides an explanation: a "petty and childish" feud between the narcs and the district attorney's office.
"The Plaintiffs, mainly [Lt. Robert] Otto and [Officer Thomas] Liciardello, had been battling with the District Attorney's Office for more than a year over the issue of the proper handling of confidential informants, and, the system of proffers," Mannix wrote. "The District Attorney's Office's positions on these aspects was unprofessional and often petty and childish."
Less than a week before the letter was sent, Mannix wrote, "First Assistant District Attorney Edward McCann said, with regard to the Plaintiffs, approximate words or approximate words to the strong effect: 'I'm tired of their shit. Enough is enough."
So Seth Williams decide to end the feud, without any due process, by writing his letter to the police commissioner that put the narcs out of business.
Through a spokesperson, McCann, who now works as the first assistant district attorney in Montgomery County, declined comment. Lawyers defending the city declined comment. The lawyers defending the police officers in the civil suits did not respond to a request for comment.
But one lawyer is talking.
Jimmy Binns, a criminal lawyer who successfully defended Police Officer Michael Spicer against the federal RICO charges, said it was no surprise to hear that Seth Williams had nothing to back up that letter he wrote to the police commissioner.
"We knew that all along," Binns said. "That's why I was able to predict accurately to a federal judge at Mike Spicer's bail hearing that he would be acquitted of all the charges."
"It just verifies what all of the defendants said to their lawyers all along," Binns said. "It was not that the prosecutors lacked proof beyond a reasonable doubt. It was that there did not exist a scintilla of credible evidence against the defendants."
So Seth Williams decide to end the feud, without any due process, by writing his letter to the police commissioner that put the narcs out of business.
Through a spokesperson, McCann, who now works as the first assistant district attorney in Montgomery County, declined comment. Lawyers defending the city declined comment. The lawyers defending the police officers in the civil suits did not respond to a request for comment.
But one lawyer is talking.
Jimmy Binns, a criminal lawyer who successfully defended Police Officer Michael Spicer against the federal RICO charges, said it was no surprise to hear that Seth Williams had nothing to back up that letter he wrote to the police commissioner.
"We knew that all along," Binns said. "That's why I was able to predict accurately to a federal judge at Mike Spicer's bail hearing that he would be acquitted of all the charges."
"It just verifies what all of the defendants said to their lawyers all along," Binns said. "It was not that the prosecutors lacked proof beyond a reasonable doubt. It was that there did not exist a scintilla of credible evidence against the defendants."
Former Commissioner Ramsey is just as guilty in this case. As their boss, why would he not demand evidence of corruption? Why did he just accept this blindly?
ReplyDeleteRamsey ALWAYS followed the Guilty as charged, and fired officers unjustly, even before any credible investigation was started.
DeleteRamsey ALWAYS followed the Guilty as charged, and fired officers unjustly, even before any credible investigation was started.
DeleteThis toad should be in prison. I hope when he gets indicted the FOP rents a bus for those 6 officers and their families to sit front and center in that courtroom. He is a total embarrassment. Total scumbag.KARMA, Seth you ever hear of KARMA
ReplyDeleteThis type of persecution by the justice department is old hat, using jailhouse informants or those that have committed a crime to condemn an innocent defendant for a more favorable outcome for themselves has been used over and over again by the prosecution.
ReplyDeleteHow detrimental to our basic freedoms to have our own government work against its own citizens, our civil rights are being eroded and we do nothing about it. We put our trust in people that advocate deceiving the public.
I thought somewhere some sick deranged prosecutor in some backwater town that was so blinded by ambition would hide evidence but to think its widespread is sickening,its really commonplace. Do all prosecutors put themselves first over a defendant human rights, how many have blood on their hands, how many have sent innocent people to jail for crime they did not commit. How many juries unknowingly participated in the scheme.
I cant believe law schools are churning out lawyers that are taught to conspire with coworkers to convict the innocent defendant. When does it start ? When do you decide you want to win at all costs no matter the human toll.
Everyday we read about another person that spent a lifetime in jail for a crime where evidence was withheld by the very people that are supposed to protect us.
We need to live in fear of the justice department since it employs the media to decimate a defendant. When did the media get in the business of helping to put innocent people in jail.
When mayors and elected officials as well as the media are held accountable for condemning a defendant for the prosecution, then and only then will the playing field be leveled.
The days of assuming you had to commit a crime to go to jail are over, all it takes is an ambitious prosecutor that is willing to sell their soul for advancement of their careers.
Its come to this is, prosecutors can lie, hide evidence convince 12 misinformed jurors that you are guilty, the best legal minds in the country have little sway over a jury that has been saturated with lies.
When the prosecution spreads false rumors, they knowingly commit a crime, if the lie is told to a judge, a jury or the media it's the same damming lie. No matter how many times the media repeats the lie its still a lie, it does not turn into the truth because a Pulitzer Prize winning paper prints it, not even if a representative of the governments give the prize winning paper the information, its sill a lie.
Usually by the time a person is about six or seven years of age they know when a lie is a lie, what happens to employees of the government when it comes to lying, is their prior upbringing erased. Does lying for your government make it right ? How are there so many that are so willing to perpetuate a lie. Lying is a perversion , when one lies it undermines our trust . Lies come undone, Seth Williams life is unraveling and so has our trust in him.
Police department does the same thing. Just read the stories of the wrongly convicted released lately.
DeleteI have an idea, lets do fact checking, the way the presidential campaigns are doing to one another. If the Inky prints an outright lie or accusations, we will fact check them. After all we are two separate camps, advocates for innocently accused defendants and team prosecution.
DeleteWe can get defense lawyer to try their case in the public eye, just as the Inky does for the prosecution.
We can reach all potential jurors, all the facts out in the open, not just the prosecution sides. Potential jurors will have all the facts when they walk into the courtroom ,not just what they the prosecution wants us to read.
Having the facts helps us when we walk into a voting booth, we should know the facts before we convict someone.
The people that read your column know prosecutors lie,they know FBI agents lie, they all know innocent people in jail. Spreading the word is paramount. Thanks for speaking for all of us.
ReplyDeleteI am sure there a thousands or millions of people that are happy to see what is happening to him, the lies and deception now coming to light, but he is only a drop in the bucket. The truth is every prosecutor is guilty of the same crimes to some extent. How hideous for our judicial system, how sad for the lives of the innocently accused, the anguish that they must endure daily.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the paycheck, corner office and the prestige are worth someones life. What were we taught about lying as children, if you tell lies often, no one will believe you when you are telling the truth. Lying is never acceptable not when your six or when you grow up and work for the government.
Keep up the pressure Ralph. Although it has been almost 4 years now you will continue to be sandbagged by that now infamous statement by all related to this crime..."No Comment". And there will be no comment because there was no real reason for this criminality by Rufus Seth Williams and Edward McCann. Yea, you too Ed. The truth is coming for both of you and hopefully you both will not only be disbarred, arrested and prosecuted for your crimes, but spend a very long time in prison where you both belong. You both know what you have done and continue to do. This article talks about the millions in tax dollars that have, are and will be lost due to your crimes, but what it does not say and needs to be talked about is the immeasurable damage you have both done to this city, the citizens and the loss of faith that will come of our criminal justice system in this city as a result of your crimes, not to mention the many who have lost their lives and repeated crimes committed by those you have unleashed on the citizens of this city by wrongfully withdrawing prosecution on those who were legally arrested. You both have blood on your hands and you will burn in hell for what you have done. Hopefully, you will both burn in prison for a very long time before you answer to your maker in the next life. It has taken too long for the truth to come out, but it is now, and more will come. You are both a disgrace to your so called profession, your families and humanity. I hope you are haunted by those who have lost their lives as a result of your crimes.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Anonymous, please call when you get a chance.
DeleteI wonder if the prisons have a jump suit big enough to fit around Seth's carcass.
DeleteI like the guy.
ReplyDeleteDear god why? His terrible personal judgment? His deplorable behavior? Or his more than questionable legal judgment?
DeleteHere's the big question: Did any of the defense lawyers who paid for free vacations for Seth represent any of these accused drug dealers who got off?
ReplyDeleteDing ding ding!!!
DeleteThe million dollar question.
Lawyers who represented the police officers are as follows;
DeleteOfficer -Michael Spicer Attorney Jimmy Binns
Officer - Thomas Liciardello - Attorney Jeffrey Miller
Officer - John Speiser - Attorney Michael Diamonstein
Officer - Brian Reynolds - Attorney Jack McMahon
Officer - Perry Betts - Attorney Gregory Pagano
Officer -Linwood Norman - Attorney Nicholas Pinto
Read archived articles on this website 2015
He asked about lawyers representing the drug dealers Seth set free...not the defense attorneys to the cops.
DeleteYou are correct, sorry.
DeleteAfter checking the facts it seems the crime rate in Philadelphia compared to the national average has gone down in Philadelphia since Seth Williams has taken office, and each year he has been in office
ReplyDeletethe crime rate seems to have fallen more than the previous year. I would assume that is why he is continuously re-elected.
I think you mean re-elected once, in 2013, as an incumbent. Not particularly hard to do in this town.
Delete2013, especially late 2013, is when the shenanigans began. He was apparently emboldened by his victory in the May primary and the arrival of several folks from the OAG.
He also kept a lot of things out of the news by not reporting any gifts. He very well may not have been re-elected if he had.
What in the world does the crime rate have to do with the district attorneys office??
DeleteGo back to sleep !
DeleteThe incidents and circumstances have the makings of a HBO/Netflix movie/series or book. Unbelievable, you just can't make this up.
ReplyDeleteThe whole of the Drug War is a sham. It is a deception. It has been a waste of time, effort, resources, money. It is all hot air.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who dedicated their lives to being a Narcotics Officer is a fool and, more than likely, a fascist.
Well Dave, let me inform you as you are obviously not informed and not at all aware of what effects drugs have on individuals, families, communities and this country. I don't believe that those who have lost loved ones to drug overdoses or the gun violence generated by drug offenders over areas for control would agree with your assessment of the war on drugs being a shame. You may are may not be one of those individuals who either smoke or know someone who smokes marijuana and believe that it is harmless and that law enforcement is spinning their wheels by enforcing those laws related to marijuana usage. Dave, it runs much deeper than this. There are 100s of thousands of very sad stories in this country that involve the senseless deaths of individuals, including children who were caught in the crossfire of two worthless drug dealers fighting over drug territory and there are so many more stories of families who lost their children, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends etc. to the plague of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, meth etc. When one looks into the eyes of the families who have lost their loved ones in such a way time and time again, you would understand that the "war on drugs" in NOT a shame to those families. No Dave, it is not "hot air", think about what I have said before you make such uninformed statements. Also, your last statement is even more offensive. There are officers all over this country who have committed their lives to enforcement of the narcotics laws with honor and integrity. They have looked into the eyes of these families and every time they do, they understand clearly that they have chosen the correct profession and they commit themselves even more to their responsibilities in an effort to save some family from the same excruciating pain as those who have lost loved ones. These dedicated officers sacrifice almost all of their time and energy to this mission at great loss to their own personnel lives. I doubt that you also make such unselfish personal sacrifices to families, communities and this country. All that I am asking Dave is that you clearly think through such comments before you post them. Please don't make blanket statements about people wasting their lives or being a fool simply because they chose a profession that has saved countless lives through their work while sacrificing much of their own life to do so.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago I would have agreed with you. But when the Market-Frankford El is emptied out several times a week because of an overdose, and when heroin addicts get on the train and scream at the top of their lungs until a hard-working person finally caved in and gives them a dollar, it might be time to reconsider.
ReplyDeleteThere is an epidemic of heroin and fentanyl right now. It is far worse than the crack epidemic ever was. Best thing would be to learn from the mistakes of that one and not mess this one up. But if you think "let's just treat them" is going to fly as addicts abandon kids in cars and invade occupied houses looking for change, think again.
Oh, and let me not forget all the heroin addicts that have taken to making false sexual abuse accusations against wealthy institutions. We already know that Lynn et al were innocent all along. God help us if it turns out that the Sandusky circus was just a couple of pornmailing prosecutors helping to pump $93 million into the local heroin economy.
ReplyDeleteRalph, How about the judge who ruled against the officers lawsuit is the same judge who will preside over the drug dealers lawsuits against the officers. Do you think this is a conflict of interest.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to meet the definition of the appearance of a conflict of interest, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteThe judge presiding over the issues has integrity. The fact that he dismissed a garbage lawsuit filed by them doesnt indicate anything other than it was nonsense. Its not a conflict just bc someone doesnt like the decision. Maybe Judge Robreno has an opening in his sched.to hear it?
DeleteOK, Anonymous, let me help you out and educate you. The lawsuit was filed after the officers were removed from Narcotics (2012-13) and before there was any indictments and prosecution of the officers (2014-15) by the criminal FBI Agents, Philadelphia Police Sergeant and Federal prosecutor. I get to call them criminals because the one sided media in this city who sat in on the trial does not report that the FBI Agents and the Federal prosecutor were blatantly caught telling lies, half truths and fabricating official police reports, not to mention doing "0"investigations to corroborate their false accusations. AS to Judge Robreno, to all in the courtroom, it became readily obvious that he had chosen sides long before the trial began and to this day he has still not ruled on multiple defense motions. As to Judge Diamond. So far it simply seems that he too has been sold a bill of goods. He is fed only what city attorneys wish to feed him as they are as perplexed by this case as everyone else, given that there was never any Brady Materials. In other words, as indicated in this article, the city of Philadelphia is paying lawfirms millions of dollars to defend these officers and these cases because they know there were no legitimate, legal grounds for, the criminal Rufus Williams to throw out all these cases. If your rational is to be believed, then why did Judge Diamond dismiss Lt. Otto's case when he was never named, indicted or arrested? His reputation was destroyed due to the criminal conduct of Rufus Williams and Ed McCann. I can only hope as you say that Judge Diamond has integrity and is only basing his decisions on the limited information he is being given and that he is not also part of this wide-ranging conspiracy to save, Rufus Williams, Ed McCann and Ramsey from the truth of their incredible stupid decision in this whole mess. And remember Mr. Anonymous, the real losers again are the citizens of this city who are paying out the millions to the lawyers and the citizens who continue to be victimized by the crimes of those hundreds of offenders that Rufus the criminal let lose on the streets.
ReplyDelete