New information also emerged yesterday on the last arrest of Whitaker, a murderer free on parole after serving 11 years for killing a 6-year-old girl with a stray gunshot in 1994.
Whitaker was arrested July 8 and charged with dealing prescription pills - Xanax and Percocet. At the time of his arrest in South Philadelphia, he carried $519 in cash, police records show.
But the charge was withdrawn, and Whitaker was freed Sept. 19, for reasons that could not be fully detailed yesterday by the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.
According to the arrest report, Whitaker had a bottle containing 96 pills of the antianxiety drug Xanax in the name of David Gillins. He had a second bottle with 27 pills of Percocet; its label was torn. Police said the drugs had a street value of $1,200.
Cathie Abookire, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham, said yesterday she could not fully explain why prosecutors withdrew the case.
She said the police might not have had clear probable cause to arrest Whitaker. It was a "weak arrest," she said.
The report indicates that Whitaker was searched and found with the pills after police spotted him standing next to another South Philadelphia man, Raymond Baxter, 32, who was a rolling a "blunt," a marijuana-laced cigar.
In September, Baxter pleaded no contest in Community Court to drug possession and was fined.
Fred Perri, Whitaker's lawyer in the drug case that was withdrawn, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
Lt. Philip Riehl, an investigator of the midtown car chase that led to the wounding of Officer Santiago, praised Santiago's actions as heroic.
"He didn't back up. He didn't shy away," but gave chase, Riehl said, adding that such pressure would have led to Whitaker's arrest, had he not plunged into the river and died.
A spokesman for Thomas Jefferson University Hospital said Santiago was released yesterday.
The two men shot in the car, ages 33 and 37, remained hospitalized in critical condition with unspecified injuries, the spokesman said. The 20-year-old woman who was with them was treated and released Wednesday.
Contact staff writer Michael Matza at 215-854-2541, or mmatza@phillynews.com
Inquirer staff writers Nancy Phillips and John Shiffman contributed to this article.
