PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Both top supervisors in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit have resigned, just one day after a lawsuit called into question the unit’s practices.
Former prosecutor Beth McCaffrey filed a defamation suit in Bucks County against the Conviction Integrity Unit’s founding supervisor, Patricia Cummings. The suit alleges that, in her zeal to overturn previous convictions, Cummings made false and misleading statements, including the allegation that McCaffrey had hidden evidence in a murder trial.
The suit also names New York University, which published Cummings' allegations. It could open the doors to closer scrutiny of the Conviction Integrity Unit, since McCaffrey’s attorneys are likely to ask for a broad scope of discovery.
The suit was filed Thursday. The next day, Cummings’ successor, unit supervisor Michael Garmisa, and assistant supervisor Carrie Wood left the District Attorney’s Office.
District Attorney Larry Krasner said it was because they’d done such a great job.
“They’re very much in demand, so both Mr. Garmisa and Carrie Wood, whose private business is not mine to tell you, have very exciting next chapters, very exciting opportunities,” he said.
Neither Garmisa nor Wood could be reached. Cummings' attorney declined to comment.