Some may remember a series of articles two years ago in the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Justice Delayed, Dismissed, Denied,” highlighting the pervasive culture of witness intimidation in the Philadelphia criminal justice system. The series detailed how prosecutions fall apart and perpetrators go free as a result of defendants and their associates getting away with terrorizing witnesses into not testifying.
Since the series was published, there have been some significant local changes designed to make life better for prosecution witnesses, such as allowing owner affidavits of non-permission to be used at preliminary hearings in lieu of witnesses in car theft cases. But the problem of witness intimidation continues to burden our criminal justice system, and it is not just a Philadelphia problem but has been felt in other counties throughout the state as well.
