DA To Re-File Charges Against Pittsburgh Officer

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The KDKA Investigators have obtained videotape that prosecutors say shows two Pittsburgh police officers lied about an undercover drug deal.

Now-retired Pittsburgh police officer Ken Simon and officer Anthony Scarpine say they saw a drug transaction that prosecutors say never happened.

Prosecutors and civil rights attorneys say the video taken at a North Side carwash last summer shows no drugs and shows no money changing hands.

"There is no interaction evident on the tape between the two persons allegedly engaged in a drug transaction. When we have a videotape that reveals something entirely different than what is alleged then everybody has to be concerned," says civil rights attorney Tim O'Brian.

The videotape obtained by the KDKA Investigators shows activity inside a car. The tape also shows a car pulling into a bay to be washed. The tape also shows a man getting change from a machine.

Reports filed by officer Simon and Scarpine indicated they witnessed a drug transaction. They arrested two suspects at the carwash in July.

Civil rights attorneys say this case raises concerns about Pittsburgh police operations.

"We have instances, many instances, where we have found that accusations that were made were not true and sometimes that's proven by a witness who was there. Sometimes it's proven by a videotape that shows that what was said wasn't true," said attorney Tim O'Brian.

A district judge reduced the charges filed against retired officer Simon in the case. All charges against officer Scarpine were dropped.

The district attorney's office says it will re-file the charges against Scarpine.