News from the hometown.
Has anyone else seen this? Ugh.
January 9 - 15, 2008
News Briefing
by PGN Staff
Members of the city’s Police Advisory Commission are continuing to discuss the possibility of signing a confidentiality agreement prior to reviewing records related to the Nizah Morris homicide, which are housed at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.
Morris, 47, was a transgender woman who received a courtesy ride from Philadelphia police on Dec. 22, 2002, and was discovered with a head wound shortly afterward. She died two days later.
Philadelphia police officials say they’ve lost the Morris homicide file, and the PAC wants access to records within the D.A.’s file to gain a comprehensive understanding of the case.
In August, the PAC subpoenaed the D.A.’s Office for all reports, interview notes, memoranda, cell-phone records and search warrants related to those records in the D.A.’s Morris file.
The D.A.’s Office declined to comply with the subpoena, but the office reportedly has offered to make additional records available to the PAC if the members sign a confidentiality agreement.
PAC executive director William Johnson said he did not have details of the proposed confidentiality agreement, and that initially thought the document review would have taken place by Nov. 30.
“Sometimes you don’t know what the delays will be until you get involved in the process,” he said. “At this point, we’re working to overcome the delays and to move forward with the process.”
Johnson said the proposed confidentiality agreement may be discussed at the PAC’s next public meeting, tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 14 at 34 S. 11th St., sixth floor.
Kathleen R. Padilla, a transgender activist, wants all relevant Morris records opened to the public.
“I hope the PAC members won’t sign anything that jeopardizes the public’s right to know what happened to Nizah Morris,” Padilla said. “Given the loss of the police department’s homicide file, the records that have been retained by the D.A.’s Office are all the more important for public review.”
January 9 - 15, 2008
News Briefing
by PGN Staff
Members of the city’s Police Advisory Commission are continuing to discuss the possibility of signing a confidentiality agreement prior to reviewing records related to the Nizah Morris homicide, which are housed at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.
Morris, 47, was a transgender woman who received a courtesy ride from Philadelphia police on Dec. 22, 2002, and was discovered with a head wound shortly afterward. She died two days later.
Philadelphia police officials say they’ve lost the Morris homicide file, and the PAC wants access to records within the D.A.’s file to gain a comprehensive understanding of the case.
In August, the PAC subpoenaed the D.A.’s Office for all reports, interview notes, memoranda, cell-phone records and search warrants related to those records in the D.A.’s Morris file.
The D.A.’s Office declined to comply with the subpoena, but the office reportedly has offered to make additional records available to the PAC if the members sign a confidentiality agreement.
PAC executive director William Johnson said he did not have details of the proposed confidentiality agreement, and that initially thought the document review would have taken place by Nov. 30.
“Sometimes you don’t know what the delays will be until you get involved in the process,” he said. “At this point, we’re working to overcome the delays and to move forward with the process.”
Johnson said the proposed confidentiality agreement may be discussed at the PAC’s next public meeting, tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 14 at 34 S. 11th St., sixth floor.
Kathleen R. Padilla, a transgender activist, wants all relevant Morris records opened to the public.
“I hope the PAC members won’t sign anything that jeopardizes the public’s right to know what happened to Nizah Morris,” Padilla said. “Given the loss of the police department’s homicide file, the records that have been retained by the D.A.’s Office are all the more important for public review.”