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In the last 2 years, Philly accounted for 1 in 10 homicide exonerations in the U.S. Most involved some allegation of official misconduct.
Those cases raise serious questions about Homicide Unit practices spanning decades. (thread) https://www.inquirer.com/crime/a/philadelphia-murder-exonerations-wrongful-convictions-20210507.html
Those cases raise serious questions about Homicide Unit practices spanning decades. (thread) https://www.inquirer.com/crime/a/philadelphia-murder-exonerations-wrongful-convictions-20210507.html
Way back in '77, @bmarimow65 & colleagues published an iconic/terrifying @PhillyInquirer series about claims detectives beat, bludgeoned and stabbed suspects to close cases.
Detectives on the job then say there was no commitment to re-train or reform. https://www.inquirer.com/news/homicide-files-1977-series-police-beatings-confessions-20200710.html
Detectives on the job then say there was no commitment to re-train or reform. https://www.inquirer.com/news/homicide-files-1977-series-police-beatings-confessions-20200710.html
At the same time, Philly homicide detectives were clearing an extraordinary 80%+ of cases, well above the U.S. average.
That changed in 2014, coinciding with new policies: witnesses are told they may leave; interrogations are on video; there are time limits on questioning.
That changed in 2014, coinciding with new policies: witnesses are told they may leave; interrogations are on video; there are time limits on questioning.
Marc Bookman of @Atlantic_Ctr told me about a 1993 case in which detectives pleaded the Fifth to avoid testifying about an investigation. There were no consequences he said: "If you want to know why the Philadelphia homicide unit was running wild for years, look at that case."
Hundreds have been prosecuted even as witnesses recanted and alleged coercion. Here's a story of two men police concluded each killed the other's friend. Each denied making statements against the other--but the statements were used. Both were convicted. https://www.inquirer.com/crime/pennsylvania-murder-convictions-commonwealth-v-brady-20210507.html
“It’s up to the jury to decide whether they’re lying now or lying then,” is how one law professor explained the Pennsylvania rule that allows this practice.
Patricia Cummings, head of the DA's Conviction Integrity Unit, calls it "a license to bad cops."
https://www.inquirer.com/crime/pennsylvania-murder-convictions-commonwealth-v-brady-20210507.html
Patricia Cummings, head of the DA's Conviction Integrity Unit, calls it "a license to bad cops."
https://www.inquirer.com/crime/pennsylvania-murder-convictions-commonwealth-v-brady-20210507.html
This week came Philly's 20th exoneration since 2018: Obina Onyiah, who long claimed detectives coerced a confession.
"We just kept hearing Obina scream," his girlfriend testified at the time. A judge didn't believe her & deemed the confession voluntary. https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-ciu-exoneration-da-larry-krasner-patricia-cummings-obina-onyiah-20210504.html
"We just kept hearing Obina scream," his girlfriend testified at the time. A judge didn't believe her & deemed the confession voluntary. https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-ciu-exoneration-da-larry-krasner-patricia-cummings-obina-onyiah-20210504.html
Onyiah's lawyer, Teri Himebaugh, said she has many more cases just like his.
“What no one wants is for these cases to see the light — because once you start to open this can of worms, there are a lot of worms."
She's built a database to track it all: https://www.thepolicetransparencyproject.com/
“What no one wants is for these cases to see the light — because once you start to open this can of worms, there are a lot of worms."
She's built a database to track it all: https://www.thepolicetransparencyproject.com/
Families of victims say the result is a loss of trust-- which they say makes people less likely to cooperate “There might have been a 90% clearance rate. But if now they’re getting overturned, you didn’t have a 90% clearance rate. You had a large rate of creating destruction.”
Philadelphia homicide detectives still have no training on avoiding false confessions. The captain & chief inspector in charge of homicide said they were not aware of any such problem but believed video would prevent it.
Experts say that's not the case. https://www.inquirer.com/crime/a/philadelphia-murder-exonerations-wrongful-convictions-20210507.html
Experts say that's not the case. https://www.inquirer.com/crime/a/philadelphia-murder-exonerations-wrongful-convictions-20210507.html
We built our own database so you can filter and sort through recent exonerations, and examples of other cases where similar misconduct was alleged. https://www.inquirer.com/crime/inq2/philadelphia-murder-homicide-cases-database-20210507.html#/
