Two days after being cleared, new charges for one in Philadelphia basement case

The Philadelphia District Attorney has re-arrested one of the four people accused of keeping captives in a Tacony basement.  Police say mentally disabled people were locked away in a scheme to steal their Social Security checks.  A judge just dismissed charges against the man, saying he was a victim not a perpetrator.

On Tuesday, Eddie Wright was ordered freed from custody by Judge Pat Dugan after a two day preliminary hearing.  Wright’s Attorney Lou D’Onofrio says he’s disappointed the D.A. decided to recharge Wright in the case.

“The evidence the Commonwealth presented at the preliminary hearing in open court was that Mr. Wright was held captive by Linda Weston, she controlled his funds he was threatened and assaulted by at least one of her boyfriends, that he at one time tried to escape and that he himself was one of the victims in this case,” said D’Onofrio.

The District Attorney’s office would not comment on the re-arrest, citing the judge’s gag order in the case.  A new preliminary hearing has been scheduled for next month.