Attorney Wants Bail Lowered For Former Hero Philly Cop Now Charged With Rape and More
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A former hero Philadelphia cop, shot in the face in 2007 but arrested and charged last month with raping two women, has now been indicted by a grand jury on charges including rape, promoting prostitution, making terroristic threats, and drug offenses.
But the defense, seeking "reasonable" bail, contends the allegations are false and are motivated by revenge.
Defense attorney George Parry concedes that former Philadelphia officer Richard DeCoatsworth was a junkie who became addicted to painkillers and other drugs after being shot.
Parry says as his client's life spiraled downward, he sought "companionship."
But Parry says that when DeCoatsworth threatened to report the woman to the city's Department of Human Services over the care of her infant, "That was when the response came from the complainant's mother that if he did that then they were going to say he supplied drugs to the complainants. And then the threat kept getting better and better over the next few hours, to 'He forced them to use drugs,' to 'He used a gun and sexually assaulted them.' "
DeCoatsworth, who authorities contend is a flight risk and a danger to the community and himself, is currently being held in lieu of $60 million bail.
