The chairman of Philadelphia's Citizens Police Oversight Commission, Hassan Bennett, has been charged with multiple felony offenses, including witness intimidation and bribery, for allegedly selling a witness's identity to a suspect involved in a domestic violence case. Prosecutors allege Bennett accepted $500 to provide confidential documents, including an unredacted arrest report, to Thomas Scott, who was reportedly planning to threaten the witness.
Scott, facing charges in an attempted murder case, is accused of trying to prevent a witness from testifying by threatening to harm them. Investigators reportedly intercepted prison telephone calls and social media activity where Scott discussed efforts to locate the witness and compel them to withdraw their statement. During these intercepted communications, Bennett allegedly read details from the arrest report and disclosed the witness's full name to Scott.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner stated that the evidence against Bennett is strong, indicating a betrayal of public trust. "His actions are not a reflection on the work of the Citizens Police Oversight Commission or the Defender Association of Philadelphia," Krasner said.
Bennett allegedly obtained the sensitive information through his position as a bail navigator at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. An audit of the city's case management system reportedly showed Bennett had accessed the confidential material. Assistant District Attorney William Fritze condemned Bennett's alleged actions, calling them "absolutely disgraceful."
The case also highlights Bennett's past, including a second-degree murder conviction in 2008. He spent over a decade in prison before being acquitted at a retrial in 2019, following claims that his earlier statements implicating him were coerced. He later became chairman of the Citizens Police Oversight Commission, an organization formed to enhance civilian scrutiny of the police department.
In response to the allegations, the Citizens Police Oversight Commission has placed Bennett on leave. The Defender Association of Philadelphia has initiated proceedings to terminate his employment. Scott was arrested on October 1, and Bennett was taken into custody on October 27. Both are being held on significant bail amounts. The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and the FBI.