Expand / Collapse search
☰
Extreme Cold Warning
until WED 12:00 PM EST, Carbon County, Monroe County
2
Cold Weather Advisory
until WED 12:00 PM EST, Northampton County, Western Montgomery County, Philadelphia County, Lower Bucks County, Eastern Chester County, Upper Bucks County, Berks County, Delaware County, Eastern Montgomery County, Lehigh County, Western Chester County, Lebanon County, Schuylkill County, Lancaster County, Southeastern Burlington County, Northwestern Burlington County, Camden County, Coastal Ocean County, Hunterdon County, Cape May County, Coastal Atlantic County, Cumberland County, Warren County, Salem County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Ocean County, Atlantic County, Somerset County, Atlantic Coastal Cape May County, Kent County, New Castle County, Delaware Beaches County, Inland Sussex County

Former DA Seth Williams disbarred ahead of sentencing

Published  October 20, 2017 7:39am EDT
U.S.
FOX 29 Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Former Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams has been disbarred, according to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

The court announced the news via Twitter Thursday night.

Williams pleaded guilty to a single count of accepting a bribe from a businessman in exchange for legal favors. At the time, U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond said he was not inclined to trust Williams' assurances about appearing for sentencing set for Oct. 24, so he ordered him jailed. He was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.

The plea came after a trial featuring damaging testimony about a stream of money and gifts showered on him, from a lavish Caribbean vacation to cash bribes.

Williams, a graduate of Georgetown Law School, was the city's first black district attorney. He spent years as an assistant prosecutor and became the city's inspector general, tasked with rooting out corruption, before first winning office in 2009.

The two-term Democrat was forced to surrender his law license back in March following his indictment.