March 30, 2015
Philadelphia Police Department, File/AP
Former Philadelphia police Officer John Speiser. He is among six city narcotics officers arrested in July and charged with racketeering conspiracy, extortion, robbery, kidnapping and drug dealing.
Opening statements are expected today, Monday, in a federal court case involving six former Philadelphia narcotics officers arrested and charged with corruption.
Federal authorities allege the six former city officers - Thomas Liciardello, Brian Reynolds, Michael Spicer, Perry Betts, Linwood Norman and John Speiser – were involved in a racketeering conspiracy, extortion, robbery, kidnapping and drug dealing, for which they were arrested and charged in July.
Five of the six officers could face life sentences for their alleged involvement. They are accused of stealing more than $500,000 in cash, drugs and personal property from drug dealers while they were beating and kidnapping them, and falsifying police records to cover it all up, Big Trial reports.
The defense denies the charges and says the officers are being framed by drug dealers they arrested and by
former fellow officer Jeffrey Walker, who is caught in corruption and is now trying
to help himself, Big Trial reports.
The trial is expected to last about 10 weeks.
Read the full story here.
