The meeting McCaffery convened Jan. 14 with key figures in the Philadelphia criminal justice system was the first step in a process he said could transform city courts.
"This is one of those watershed moments," McCaffery said. "When things like this come about, large bureaucracies have to step up and make the necessary changes."
Along with McCaffery and Williams, the meeting included Marsha H. Neifield, president judge of Municipal Court; Sheila Woods-Skipper, supervising judge of the criminal division of Common Pleas Court; court administrator David C. Lawrence; and top court deputies Kathleen M. Rapone and Joseph Lanzalotti.
Neifield declined to comment on the meeting, saying it was too early to know where the effort would lead. Of McCaffery, she said, "It's hard to argue with what he had to say."
Lawrence, too, declined to comment, saying he would defer to McCaffery.
Lynn Marks, executive director of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, said the Supreme Court's intercession in the Philadelphia court system was a positive and necessary step.
"There needs to be a systemic evaluation of the entire criminal justice system," said Marks, whose group advocates merit selection, rather than election, of judges.
Notably absent from the initial meeting were representatives of the city's criminal defense bar. McCaffery said defense lawyers and others key players would be invited to future sessions.
Michael J. Engle, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said his group welcomed that invitation and was ready to provide input.
"I think only good can come from a process where people sit down and say, 'We have a system that needs improvement. What can be done?' "
Contact staff writer Nancy Phillips at 215-854-2254 or nphillips@phillynews.com.
