Jury selection begins for federal RICO conspiracy case against six cops
"I can say that I've been a police officer for more than 40 years, and this is one of the worst cases of corruption that I have ever heard," Police…
Jury selection is slated to begin tomorrow for the federal case against six former Philadelphia Police Officers.
The former narcotics unit officers — Thomas Liciardello, Brian Reynolds, Michael Spicer, Perry Betts, John Speiser and Linwood Norman — face a total of 26 indictments. Each one is being charged with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO conspiracy), while individual officers face charges ranging from extortion to possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
Prosecutors in the high-profile have amounted extensive testimonial evidence of the officers’ misconduct, including one incident in which they sledgehammered their way into a man’s apartment and dangled him from a third-storey balcony in order to obtain money.
"I can say that I've been a police officer for more than 40 years, and this is one of the worst cases of corruption that I have ever heard," Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said at a news conference in July 2014 following the indictment.
All of the defendant officers are pleading not guilty.
The Daily News has more details on the upcoming case, and more on the original indictment.
Read the charges and pre-trial motions in the memorandum below:
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