Philly Rogue Cops Case

Veteran reporter Ralph Cipriano is covering the rogue cops case in Philadelphia federal court for bigtrial.net.

They haven't picked a jury yet but the lawyers in the rogue cops case are already going at it.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony J. Wzorek today challenged defense lawyer Michael J. Diamondstein on his claim that the government may have perpetrated a fraud on a grand jury by putting a witness on the stand who perjured himself.

Turning toward Diamonstein and speaking in a loud voice, Wzorek told the defense lawyer, "We look forward to answering that." The prosecutor told Diamondstein that he and the other defense lawyers in the case could put Wzorek on the witness stand to see if those charges were true.

The prosecutor's baiting of the defense lawyers did not go over with U.S. District Court Judge Eduardo C. Robreno.

"Address the court," the judge snapped at the prosecutor. Diamonstein, who represents former Police Officer John Speiser, started the ruckus on Sunday when he filed a  motion seeking to quash the federal indictment of his client under the RICO act. In his motion, Diamonstein charged that perjury committed by a witness identified as "C.C." was "easily and readily identifiable by the government's agents."  But the feds chose to willfully ignore it, exhibiting a "reckless disregard for the truth," Diamondstein charged.

Clearly those were fighting words to Wzorek.

 You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.bigtrial.net/2015/03/prosecutor-gets-hot-under-collar-judge.html#more

And you can read Ralph Cipriano's earlier rogue cops case post via the below link:

http://www.bigtrial.net/2015/03/rogue-cops-say-federal-witness-perjured.html

Note: On assignment for The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security, I had gone out with Philadelphia Narcotics Field Unit South just prior to the arrest of the narcotics officers currently on trial. I spoke to Lt. Robert Otto, the unit's supervisor, on a Southwest Philly street after his officers raided a drug house. Otto was also the supervisor of the accused officers, and that night he offered to allow me to accompany those very officers at a later date.

Of course, with their arrest, it was not to be.

I don't know if the accused officers are guilty or not, but I do know that the overwhelming majority of Philly cops are good, honest officers.

You can read my piece on the Philly narcotics unit via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2012/05/chasing-drugs-guns-and-violence-night.html