Perjury Charges Added For Philadelphia Man In Apparent 'Don't-Snitch' Drug Case
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia grand jury presentment alleges that a man who was shot nine times in his car last year lied to authorities about who shot him.
Now, the shooting victim faces perjury and other charges.
Philadelphia district attorney Seth Williams says that in the normal course of the investigation to find out who shot 22-year-old James Ellis, they determined he was known to run with a drug group called "The Platter Boys."
But Ellis told authorities he didn't know who shot him.
"And it is those lies before the grand jury that are the basis of these charges," said Bryan Lentz, chief of the DA's Gun Violence Task Force today. "It's the possession of a gun and drugs on the date he was shot that are the basis of the other charges he will face when he is apprehended."
According to authorities, a gun, ammo, and packets of crack cocaine were found in Ellis' car when he was previously arrested.
The DA says investigators found information in Ellis' Facebook postings that clearly indicated he knew who shot him, including how he was "set up."
"The charges against James Ellis hopefully sends an important message about the no-snitching culture that currently exists in the city of Philadelphia," DA Williams said.
