Police Transparency Project
Donation protected
With your support, we can advance the mission of the Police Transparency Project.
The Police Transparency Project (PTP) safeguards the constitutional rights of all Philadelphians through the compilation of information on unconstitutional interrogation patterns and practices used by Philadelphia Homicide detectives over the last three decades which has resulted in countless wrongful convictions of innocent defendants.
By gathering information and documentation about department wide as well as specific homicide detectives’ and supervisors’ participation in these abuses and to make that information readily accessible to attorneys, defendants and the general public. It is hoped that this will help promote lasting systemic changes and facilitate an environment of transparency and accountability between the police and the community.
How the PTP Emerged
In 2016, Teri Himebaugh, Esq observed a pattern. After litigating hundreds of Philadelphia homicide cases as a defense attorney specializing in Post Conviction Relief Act defense since 1988, it became apparent to Ms. Himebaugh that some Homicide detectives have been routinely using unconstitutional interrogation techniques on suspects and witnesses in order to inculpate a particular suspect. These interrogation tactics included targeting the vulnerable, use of isolation, threats, verbal and physical abuse and the destruction, manipulation and/or fabrication of evidence. Detectives' use of these tactics emerged, in fact, to be so regular and widespread that it could be considered a “pattern and practice” of misconduct.
The Police Transparency Project impacts all our Philadelphia communities, while safeguarding the rights of those most statistically targeted and disenfranchised in criminal proceedings.
The PTP safeguards:
- The sanctity of all of our community member's constitutional rights in the past, present, and
future.
- People who are currently incarcerated and their families and loved ones.
- People who are undergoing or will undergo interrogation.
- Future defendants at risk of wrongful or unconstitutional convictions.
The Need for Transparency
Without transparency there can be no trust from Philadelphians, nor accountability from the police, nor public faith in the legal system. Practices inside the Homicide Unit are largely hidden from the public. While some evidence of detective misconduct has been, and currently is, the subject of Philadelphia Police Internal Affairs investigations, those investigations are not available to the public. This information, if accessible, could have direct impact on defendants, their counsel, and the outcomes of their case. Moreover, after a defendant is convicted, they no longer have a 'right' to discovery and cannot subpoena these records absent court approval. This lack of transparency and accountability has led, and will continue to lead, to wrongful convictions and decades of incarceration for innocent Philadelphians.
The Unconstitutional Pattern and Practice Database (UPPD)
In an effort to make this information easily accessible to stakeholders, Ms. Himebaugh, Managing Director Kathryn Himebaugh, and support staff have generated a searchable database, the Unconstitutional Patterns of Practice Database (UPPD). The database is intended to be an ongoing, long term, community-based project. It is the hope that the defense bar, defendants and the public will reciprocate by providing relevant information for inclusion in this database.
The database will be a critical resource for defense in criminal trials, appeals and civil actions. Evidence that detectives investigating particular homicide cases had a history of utilizing this unconstitutional pattern and practice could, under the right factual circumstances, be used during trial to impeach the detectives trial testimony and/or as a basis on appeal to grant relief to wrongly convicted defendants.
In addition, information compiled on the database will provide the statistical basis to identify the immediate need for police transparency, policy changes and legislative initiatives. The information gleaned from this database will help promote lasting systemic changes and facilitate an environment where Philadelphians can trust the efficacy, reliability, and constitutionality of homicide convictions in their city.
www.thepolicetransparencyproject.org
Your support will fund:
Outreach and Expansion: This project becomes exponentially more impactful as community engagement grows. Support us in building a network of defense attorneys, people who are wrongfully convicted, and their families and loved ones. The more people who know about the database, the greater the transparency and the more powerful each of our voices become.
Policy Study: While our project is focused on Philadelphia, it is our intention that it is replicable, transparent, and has broad sweeping policy implications that lead to systemic change. Your support will enable us to lead a policy study to begin that process.
Administrative Costs and Staff On-Boarding: To now, this project has been run largely on a volunteer and pro-bono basis. It is our goal to onboard staff who can focus and support the growth and development of the Policy Transparency Project's mission and maintain the accessibility and relevance of the UPPD.
EIN: 86-3617030
The Police Transparency Project (PTP) safeguards the constitutional rights of all Philadelphians through the compilation of information on unconstitutional interrogation patterns and practices used by Philadelphia Homicide detectives over the last three decades which has resulted in countless wrongful convictions of innocent defendants.
By gathering information and documentation about department wide as well as specific homicide detectives’ and supervisors’ participation in these abuses and to make that information readily accessible to attorneys, defendants and the general public. It is hoped that this will help promote lasting systemic changes and facilitate an environment of transparency and accountability between the police and the community.
How the PTP Emerged
In 2016, Teri Himebaugh, Esq observed a pattern. After litigating hundreds of Philadelphia homicide cases as a defense attorney specializing in Post Conviction Relief Act defense since 1988, it became apparent to Ms. Himebaugh that some Homicide detectives have been routinely using unconstitutional interrogation techniques on suspects and witnesses in order to inculpate a particular suspect. These interrogation tactics included targeting the vulnerable, use of isolation, threats, verbal and physical abuse and the destruction, manipulation and/or fabrication of evidence. Detectives' use of these tactics emerged, in fact, to be so regular and widespread that it could be considered a “pattern and practice” of misconduct.
The Police Transparency Project impacts all our Philadelphia communities, while safeguarding the rights of those most statistically targeted and disenfranchised in criminal proceedings.
The PTP safeguards:
- The sanctity of all of our community member's constitutional rights in the past, present, and
future.
- People who are currently incarcerated and their families and loved ones.
- People who are undergoing or will undergo interrogation.
- Future defendants at risk of wrongful or unconstitutional convictions.
The Need for Transparency
Without transparency there can be no trust from Philadelphians, nor accountability from the police, nor public faith in the legal system. Practices inside the Homicide Unit are largely hidden from the public. While some evidence of detective misconduct has been, and currently is, the subject of Philadelphia Police Internal Affairs investigations, those investigations are not available to the public. This information, if accessible, could have direct impact on defendants, their counsel, and the outcomes of their case. Moreover, after a defendant is convicted, they no longer have a 'right' to discovery and cannot subpoena these records absent court approval. This lack of transparency and accountability has led, and will continue to lead, to wrongful convictions and decades of incarceration for innocent Philadelphians.
The Unconstitutional Pattern and Practice Database (UPPD)
In an effort to make this information easily accessible to stakeholders, Ms. Himebaugh, Managing Director Kathryn Himebaugh, and support staff have generated a searchable database, the Unconstitutional Patterns of Practice Database (UPPD). The database is intended to be an ongoing, long term, community-based project. It is the hope that the defense bar, defendants and the public will reciprocate by providing relevant information for inclusion in this database.
The database will be a critical resource for defense in criminal trials, appeals and civil actions. Evidence that detectives investigating particular homicide cases had a history of utilizing this unconstitutional pattern and practice could, under the right factual circumstances, be used during trial to impeach the detectives trial testimony and/or as a basis on appeal to grant relief to wrongly convicted defendants.
In addition, information compiled on the database will provide the statistical basis to identify the immediate need for police transparency, policy changes and legislative initiatives. The information gleaned from this database will help promote lasting systemic changes and facilitate an environment where Philadelphians can trust the efficacy, reliability, and constitutionality of homicide convictions in their city.
www.thepolicetransparencyproject.org
Your support will fund:
Outreach and Expansion: This project becomes exponentially more impactful as community engagement grows. Support us in building a network of defense attorneys, people who are wrongfully convicted, and their families and loved ones. The more people who know about the database, the greater the transparency and the more powerful each of our voices become.
Policy Study: While our project is focused on Philadelphia, it is our intention that it is replicable, transparent, and has broad sweeping policy implications that lead to systemic change. Your support will enable us to lead a policy study to begin that process.
Administrative Costs and Staff On-Boarding: To now, this project has been run largely on a volunteer and pro-bono basis. It is our goal to onboard staff who can focus and support the growth and development of the Policy Transparency Project's mission and maintain the accessibility and relevance of the UPPD.
EIN: 86-3617030
Organizer and beneficiary
Kat Anne
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA
Kathryn Himebaugh
Beneficiary
