*For immediate release – Philadelphia
Police corruption in cities like Philadelphia has been a source of a lot of media attention in the past few years. This is due to major scandals involving police officers stealing money and drugs from suspects and then turning around, pocketing the money and selling the drugs. In other cases, Philadelphia police officers are accused of falsifying evidence and outright lying on affidavits of probable cause.
Related: Philadelphia PA Drug Cases Thrown Out Due to Corruption in Philadelphia’s Police Department
Cases of police corruption are nothing new. In fact, the Philadelphia Police Department has faced multiple corruption scandals throughout the last 30 years, and probably even earlier than that. Corruption breeds more corruption and police officers, like most people, can become subject to their own desires for wealth or power. Unfortunately, the problem of police corruption is not going anywhere. Two recent cases highlight the extent of the problem.
2 Philadelphia Police Officers Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Money & Drugs
Last month, federal judge Legrome Davis sentenced two former Philadelphia police officers, Jonathan Garcia and Sydemy Joanis. Garcia got a 17 year prison sentence while Joanis got a 5 year sentence. They were convicted of stealing heroin and money from a confidential informant (CI). Garcia was charged as the brains behind the operation, using a CI to set up drug dealers in Philadelphia and then robbing them of their drugs and money. His partner, Joanis, was in on the scheme. *Source: 6abc.com (2 former Philadelphia police officers sentenced to prison)
Police Beating Video Results in Arrests of 2 Philadelphia Officers
Also last month, 2 local police officers were arrested and charged with beating a man in North Philadelphia and then lying about the case in order to file charges against the man. The assault occurred in 2013. A Philadelphia resident suffered serious facial injuries after an alleged beating by Philadelphia police officers. The man was later arrested after the officers accused him of attacking one of the officers. Video footage from a nearby business showed that the officers’ version of events was not true.
According to a court docket sheet, at least one officer was charged with Aggravated Assault and Conspiracy. In addition, there are several charges related to falsifying records: Tampering with Public Record/Info, Obstruction of the Administration of Law, Filing a False Report, and Official Oppression (Abuse of Office). *Source: www.nbcphiladelphia.com (Victim of Police Beating Speaks Out After Arrest of Officers)
Philadelphia Police Corruption – Evidence
Residents of the Philadelphia area who are facing criminal charges may want to know how police corruption affects their cases. The key is having sufficient evidence that one of the officers in a specific case engaged in corrupt conduct, before, during or after the case. Pointing to a newspaper report of corruption is certainly not enough to make a claim of police corruption stick.
Find related articles in our Philadelphia Police Corruption Law Library.
If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges in Philadelphia and believe that one of the officers in the case was corrupt, you must act quickly. Contact our office to schedule a free consultation. (215) 564-0644
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