PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — In the first full day of testimony in the trial against former Philadelphia homicide detective Philip Nordo, one of his accusers took the stand Tuesday. He is one of three men Nordo is accused of sexually assaulting, who were witnesses or informants in homicide investigations.
The man said he met Nordo during the investigation into the murder of police officer Moses Walker Jr. in 2012. It started, he said, when police pulled him over because he had a car similar to the one seen driving near the scene.
The accuser was so tearful when he first took the stand that the judge asked to take a brief break to allow him to collect himself. He remained calm through the prosecution’s questions, saying Nordo first assaulted him in an official police car at 24th and Parrish streets, threatening to arrest him or take his kids — but also complimenting him on his lips and beard.
The accuser said Nordo would call or text him repeatedly and, on two different occasions, Nordo told him to meet at the Hilton hotel near Philadelphia Police Department headquarters. The man said he met with Nordo there, thinking they would talk about the investigation. However, he said, Nordo forced him into sex instead.
In his testimony, he gave explicit details about the alleged assault, saying Nordo was naked when he entered the room, and had his gun and badge on the nightstand, which the man took as a threat.
During cross-examination, the defense pointed out that his story was different from his 2018 grand jury testimony. At that time, the accuser said he met Nordo outside the hotel. The defense pushed for details, agitating the man, who said he couldn’t recall what exactly he said four years ago, including dates, times and exact locations, but could describe the layout of the hotel room.
The man told the jury Nordo gave him $20,000 — which was reward money for information in the Walker homicide investigation. The defense has said it was because he helped identify a relative of his as one of the suspects. The prosecution has said four other people helped identify the shooters.
Another former homicide lieutenant and someone from the mayor’s office both testified about the process whereby reward money is granted in homicide investigations. It is still unclear whether the man helped solve Walker’s murder or not.
A second accuser is expected to testify on Wednesday.