Miami Judge Charged With Bribery and Extortion Weeps on Stand

LAW ENFORCEMENT February 1993

Suspended Dade County, Florida Circuit Court Judge Phillip Davis, one of several county judges arrested for taking bribes in drug cases as part of Operation Court Broom, wept on the witness stand as he blamed addiction to alcohol, cocaine, and prescription drugs for clouding his judgment and leading him to accept bribes (Don Van Natta Jr., "'I Let You Down,' Judge Says On Stand," Miami Herald, 1/27/93, 1B).

The 38-year-old Davis is accused of bribery, extortion, and taking kickbacks from lawyers. He faces up to 100 years imprisonment if convicted on all counts. Davis admitted to taking $30,000 in pay-offs, saying his judgment was impaired by his polysubstance addiction. His emotional breakdown came on the fifty-fourth day of the Court Broom trial. (See NewsBriefs July 1991, p. 7).