Lawyer For Philadelphia Police Inspector Charged With Corruption Presses Entrapment Defense
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - An FBI informant was undergoing cross-examination today in the case of a former Philadelphia police inspector charged with corruption.
Prosecution witness Rony Moshe testified yesterday in federal court that defendant Daniel Castro was on board with plans to use threats and violence to collect an old debt (see previous story). But the defense contends that Castro was induced to commit a crime he was not predisposed to commit.
Defense attorney Brian McMonigle, trying to make the case for entrapment, questioned Moshe today about one secretly recorded conversation between Moshe and Castro in which Castro resisted the use of violence in collecting the debt.
(McMonigle:) "Do you then go back to the FBI and say, 'Listen, I tried everything. I told him the collectors wanted to step it up. I told him that this guy was never going to give him his money, I told him they wanted to get aggressive, and Castro said to me, no.' Did you tell the FBI that?"
(Moshe:) "No."
(McMonigle:) "Did they ever say to you after this tape that we want you to stop recording?"
(Moshe:) "No."
Castro is charged with this and two other, separate extortion schemes. Castro has pleaded not guilty.
The trial is ongoing in federal court in Philadelphia.
Reported by Tony Hanson, KYW Newsradio 1060
