The sexual assault case against a former Philly homicide detective is now being weighed by a jury
The panel of six men and six women weighing Philip Nordo's fate worked for more than half the day Tuesday. They are expected to return Wednesday.
Jurors began deliberations Tuesday in the sexual assault and corruption trial of former Philadelphia homicide detective Philip Nordo, but they did not reach a verdict after spending more than half the day behind closed doors.
The panel of six men and six women worked for about six hours Tuesday after receiving instructions in the morning from Common Pleas Court Judge Giovanni Campbell.
In the afternoon, jurors sent Campbell two rounds of questions, asking him to provide written definitions for many of the charges filed against Nordo. The panel did not indicate how close it might be to reaching a verdict.
Prosecutors have charged Nordo with crimes including rape, sexual assault, and official oppression, saying he exploited the power of his job to groom and sexually abuse men he met during investigations. Three men who testified during the two-week trial said Nordo forced them into encounters that ranged from groping to unwanted sex.
Prosecutors have also accused him of improperly steering $20,000 in reward money to one sexual target, and suggested Nordo may have played a role in the leaking of a confidential statement of another. And they called dozens of other witnesses to bolster their contention that Nordo — who investigated high-profile or complex cases during a decade on a special task force — used the prestige of his position to intimidate his targets to stay silent.
Nordo has denied wrongdoing, and his attorneys have sought to convince jurors that his accusers were not credible. His attorneys have cast Nordo as a dedicated investigator who was unfairly targeted by a biased and flawed investigation not grounded in facts.
Jurors are expected to resume their deliberations Wednesday morning.