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Philadelphia oversight chair accused of selling witness details to suspect
Philadelphia prosecutors allege that Hassan Bennett, chair of the city’s Citizens Police Oversight Commission, sold confidential information identifying a witness to Thomas Scott for $500. They say Scott was trying to intimidate the witness in an attempted murder case, raising concerns about the alleged misuse of access by someone appointed to promote public trust and police accountability.
Investigators say Bennett obtained an unredacted arrest report through his job as a bail navigator at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, then shared it and the witness’s name with Scott. Prosecutors cite prison calls, social media activity and digital evidence, and have charged Bennett with four felonies, including witness intimidation, conspiracy and bribery. Bennett was previously convicted of murder but acquitted at a retrial in 2019; the supplied article text ends before giving further details about that case.
In short
- Prosecutors allege Bennett sold witness details for $500.
- The information came from confidential case records.
- Bennett faces four felony charges.
Explained simply
Philadelphia’s Citizens Police Oversight Commission is a city body that monitors policing and aims to support public accountability. Its chair is appointed to a role that depends on public confidence in the handling of sensitive information.
The Defender Association of Philadelphia provides legal representation and related support to people facing criminal charges. A bail navigator helps people deal with the process of securing release before trial; arrest reports can contain details about witnesses and cases.
Witness intimidation means trying to pressure or frighten someone involved in a criminal case. Allegations that a person with access to confidential records shared a witness’s identity with a suspect raise questions about protecting witnesses and maintaining trust in public oversight.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Woke Philadelphia police accountability chair sold name of witness to serious crime to perpetrator, prosecutors allege”.