Courts Still Throwing Out Drug Cases Connected to Notorious Unit

Courts are still throwing out cases connected to the Philadelphia Police Department’s narcotics unit, even though a federal court found officers in the unit not guilty of corruption charges this spring.

KYW reports that “dozens” of drug convictions have been reversed because of the officers’ involvement.

Although a federal court jury cleared them of wrongdoing, Bradley Bridge, of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, says, “The evidence raises doubts about the legitimacy of the convictions.”

“The prosecutor’s office and I have concluded that it is not helpful to distinguish which of these particular police officers were involved,” Bridge told KYW Newsradio today. “They all had substantial questions that arose about their truthfulness and honesty.”

A total of 235 cases have been reversed. Bridge said his office has filed petitions in 1,700 cases.