From the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER:
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted approval Thursday for prosecutors to use secret grand juries to indict suspects – a step that justices say would provide law enforcement with a crucial tool to safeguard frightened witnesses.
The high court’s unanimous adoption of the policy permits indicting grand juries statewide, but the move was directed at Philadelphia, where a “no snitching” culture and ugly threats in courtrooms and on the street have created a toxic atmosphere for victims and witnesses.
Under the change, witnesses would testify behind closed doors before 23-member grand juries, which would then have the power to indict. This would spare the witnesses from having to testify in public in preliminary hearings, though they would still have to testify publicly during a trial…
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