3 held for trial in Philly basement captivity case

One of the defendants in the case of four people imprisoned in a Philadelphia basement was cleared of all charges at a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

Philadelphia Judge Pat Dugan said Eddie Wright was a captive himself, spending time with four others found in the basement of a house in the Tacony section of the city. Dugan ordered Wright cleared of all charges and released from jail.

Wright’s attorney Louis D’Onofrio said his client was not an abuser.

“Eddie Wright was chained in the basement, he was held with the others. Linda Weston held his Social Security card and took his funds,” D’Onofrio said. “He himself was far from a conspirator and was one of the victims in this case.”

Weston and two others were held for trial on charges ranging from kidnapping to conspiracy in the case involving the mentally disabled captives. During the Tuesday hearing, two of the victims testified about their captivity, and graphic pictures showed the abuse they suffered.