Mixed verdict for 3 Philadelphia detectives in perjury trial involving a 2016 murder exoneration

The trial of three retired Philadelphia detectives accused of fabricating evidence in a homicide case resulted in a mixed verdict, as final decisions were announced on Thursday. Martin Devlin was acquitted of all charges, while Frank Jastrzembski was acquitted on all but one count. Manuel Santiago was acquitted of two charges but convicted on two others related to their roles in the 1991 homicide case retried in 2016.

This case marked a rare instance of public officials being prosecuted for their conduct in innocence cases. The detectives came out of retirement to testify in the retrial, which triggered the five-year statute of limitations for perjury charges. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner pressed charges against the trio in 2021, just before that statute expired.

The charges stemmed from the murder of an elderly widow, Louise Talley, during a burglary in 1991. Anthony Wright, originally convicted of the crime, spent 25 years in prison before DNA evidence exonerated him and identified another suspect. During his retrial, Wright’s confession became a central issue, as his defense team argued it had been coerced by police. Wright maintained that he was forced to sign the confession while being interrogated at police headquarters.

During the trial, defense attorneys questioned Wright’s credibility, citing witnesses from his original trial who implicated him. However, Krasner emphasized the importance of the guilty verdicts for Santiago and Jastrzembski, stating they send a strong message about accountability in law enforcement. Jastrzembski was found guilty of giving false testimony regarding DNA evidence, while Santiago faced similar charges.

Following the verdict, defense attorney Fortunato Perri Jr. expressed intentions to appeal, labeling the outcome inconsistent and highlighting confusion regarding the DNA evidence during the trial. Krasner declined to comment extensively but reaffirmed a commitment to police accountability, noting the convicted detectives are scheduled to be sentenced in June.