PHILADELPHIA — A former Philadelphia homicide detective was sentenced Friday to 24 1/2 to 49 years in prison for sexually assaulting witnesses and informants in murder cases, capping a stunning downfall for the once-celebrated investigator.
In handing down the punishment, Common Pleas Court Judge Giovanni Campbell said Philip Nordo had exhibited a “disturbing capacity for cruelty” and “weaponized his power and influence” as a police officer. He said Nordo’s crimes amounted to a “betrayal of public trust ... in one of the worst ways imaginable.”
Nordo did not visibly react to the decision, and he declined an opportunity to address Campbell before his sentence was imposed.
