Philly DA brings charges against traffic court judge that AG passed up

The former President Judge of Philadelphia Traffic Court has been arrested on corruption charges. 

Holding up the Tiffany bracelet Thomasine Tynes allegedly accepted as a bribe, District Attorney Seth Williams announced Tynes’ indictment.

Williams says even though some have questioned the credibility of Tyron Ali, the informant who gave the bracelet to Tynes, he says the audio and video recordings are irrefutable.

“This case isn’t just about the testimony of the confidential informant. This is a press and play prosecution,” Williams said. “Press listen to the tape, listen to the audiotape. Questions about the confidential informant, legitimate, illegitimate? Press, watch the videotape.”

Tynes’ defense lawyer Louis Busico says she “was placed in a very bad position by a very slick con man,” the businessman-turned-informant Tyron Ali.

Williams is urging others involved in the case to come forward….or else.

“I know that there are many people who have intimate knowledge about this facts and they need to come forward before it’s too late for them but also to help us in building a stronger case,” Williams said. “The goal of this is a very through and deliberative investigation, to get to the facts.”

The DA says he expects to file other charges, even though Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane said the cases against Tynes and state lawmakers were bungled so badly that they were unwinnable.

Williams would not comment on why he thought charges were merited even though Kane disagreed.  He says the recordings were enough to convince members of the grand jury and that’s all that matters to him.