PHILADELPHIA, June 21 -- A Philadelphia judge may have to throw out hundreds of drug convictions obtained with evidence gathered by five corrupt police officers, a public defender said Wednesday. Common Pleas Judge Legrome Davis has already reversed 27 convictions and Public Defender Bradley Bridge told United Press International as many as 1,000 more cases handled by the crooked officers between 1987 and 1994 could be dismissed. 'Sadly, this is not even the tip of the iceberg,' Bridge said. 'Many, many more cases will follow.' The five officers, all of whom worked in the city's 39th District, have pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges. The officers admitted to terrorizing and robbing drug users and innocent citizens, in some cases breaking into their homes and stealing drugs and cash. Many of those charged were convicted and sentenced to prison on the basis of testimony from officers who now admit they were lying. Bridge said his main priority is getting dismissals for people still serving time for crimes they didn't commit. The district attorney's office has yet to oppose any of the reversed cases, and Bridge said he expected prosecutors would support future dismissals. Bridge said some of the people convicted on the testimony of the corrupt officers might be guilty. But he said unless there was independent evidence used to prosecute them, their convictions will probably be overturned. 'It's troubling that people who may be guilty will have their cases dismissed,' Bridge said. 'But these officers have corrupted the process to the point where they have no credibility.'
Among those whose convictions have been dismissed is Betty Patterson, 53, who served three years in prison on a bogus drug conviction. One of the corrupt officers, John Baird, has admitted planting drugs in Patterson's home. Patterson's lawyer said she is preparing a lawsuit against the city and Deputy City Solicitor James Jordan said he expects 'a whole bunch' more suits will follow. The five officers who pleaded guilty have agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. They face anywhere from 10 to 70 years in prison when they are sentenced.
