Retired Philadelphia Detectives to Face Perjury Trial

The trial stems from allegations of misconduct in a case that led to a wrongful conviction, highlighting the broader issue of wrongful convictions and their consequences.

• Three retired Philadelphia police detectives are to stand trial for perjury related to a 2016 exoneration case, marking a rare instance of police facing charges for misconduct leading to wrongful convictions.
• The detectives are accused of lying under oath during the retrial of Anthony Wright, who was acquitted in a 1991 rape and murder case after spending two decades in prison.
• A judge ruled there was sufficient evidence for the trial, despite defense claims of prosecutorial misconduct in the grand jury process.
• Wright's exoneration highlighted issues with his confession, which his lawyers argued was coerced, and DNA evidence that seemingly cleared him of the crime.
• The case underscores the broader issue of wrongful convictions and the significant compensation paid to exonerees, with over $4 billion spent by public agencies in the U.S.

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The Philadelphia Inquirer Associated Press