A Philadelphia judge overturned hundreds of drug convictions that were given to several officers involved in police corruption, reported The Philadelphia Inquirer. A single officer, Jeffrey Walker, who pleaded guilty and testified against fellow officers will remain in prison. He’s currently serving a 3 ½-year sentence. The other officers (Thomas Liciardello, Brian Reynolds, Michael Spicer, Perry Betts, Linwood Norman, and John Speiser) were acquitted of 158 charges connected to drug crimes and corruption. The officers were accused of stealing money and drugs from suspects, lying in court, and senselessly beating suspects.
Common Pleas Court President Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper ruled that the 158 narcotics convictions were tainted by police corruption. Newser reported that the city of Philadelphia is facing 135 civil rights lawsuits in connection to the officers who were acquitted. Additionally, many hundreds of other narcotics convictions have been overturned as a result of the same scandal.
