When Cops Cross the Line, Justice Suffers

When police officers are accused of wrongdoing, their actions cast a shadow of doubt across the work of ethical officers and the criminal justice system in general.

Learn about the allegations surrounding a Philadelphia narcotics detective who has been accused of conspiring with a confidential informant to fabricate evidence in order to get search warrants. Attorney Dean Weitzman and his guests, criminal defense attorney Kenneth Edelin Jr. and attorney David M. Rapoport discuss the legal issues involved in this case.

They also address the actions of Luzerne County judges, who took millions of dollars in kickbacks for sentencing young people to a private juvenile detention center.

Listen to the Full Show: Cops Acting Above the Law Court Radio Podcast Dean I. Weitzman is joined by Kenneth Edelin, Jr. and David M. Rapoport. Original Air Date: Feb. 22, 2009.

Fast Facts from This Week’s Show

• A narcotics officer and a confidential police informant were accused of falsifying information about suspected drug activity in order to get judges to sign off on search warrants.
• One of the people convicted on such a warrant was facing life in prison.
• The officer was renting a property he owned to the informant, an ethically questionable involvement that compromised the professional relationship.

Our panel of lawyers also answers callers’ questions on avoiding inheritance tax, dealing with a probation violation and contract enforcement.

A production of WRNB-FM radio in Philadelphia, Court Radio is brought to you each week by MyPhillyLawyer.