Oversight Chair Charged in Witness Intimidation Case

Hassan Bennett, who leads the Philadelphia Citizens Police Oversight Commission, faces criminal charges for allegedly compromising a witness in an attempted murder trial.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office filed the charges on Tuesday against Bennett and Thomas Scott. The indictment lists witness intimidation, conspiracy, bribery, and criminal use of a communication facility.

Investigators determined that Scott attempted to pressure the witness through recorded prison calls and social media posts. The Philadelphia Gun Violence Task Force identified these communications in August 2026. On the calls, Scott stated he needed the witness to recant their statement. He also claimed he would expose the witness in public to prevent them from appearing in court.

The DA's office says Scott spoke directly to Bennett during one of these recorded calls. During that conversation, Bennett allegedly read the arrest report to Scott. He also revealed the witness's full name. Scott requested a copy of the case paperwork and offered Bennett 500 dollars for it.

Investigators found that Scott obtained the documents and shared them with multiple people to apply pressure on the witness. District Attorney Larry Krasner said the office acts swiftly when witness safety is threatened. He noted that Bennett's actions violated public trust but did not reflect the work of the Oversight Commission or the Defender Association of Philadelphia.

Bennett worked for the Defender Association of Philadelphia. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 2008 before being acquitted in a 2019 retrial. In that later trial, a victim and a co-defendant testified that their earlier accusations were coerced by a homicide detective.

Scott is currently held on 3 million dollars in bail. Bennett is held on 1 million dollars in bail.