Ex-detective arraigned on charges that he beat his ex-lover - a city judge

Lewis B. Palmer, a former detective in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, was arraigned in Common Pleas Court yesterday on charges that he beat his former girlfriend, Common Pleas Judge Leslie Fleisher.

Palmer, 48, dressed in blue jeans and sneakers, was ordered to return to court April 14 for a pre-trial conference before Judge Karen Shreeves-Johns.

Palmer is charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and related counts stemming from the alleged beating he gave Fleisher at her Old City townhouse on Oct. 17.

Defense attorney A. Charles Peruto Jr. said that his client will be vindicated. "If I lose, I'll retire," he said, confidently.

During the incident, Palmer allegedly choked and shoved Fleisher inside her 3rd Street residence before chasing her outside where he pushed her against a brick wall, kicked her and knocked her to the ground.

Following an investigation by the state Attorney General's Office in January, Palmer was arrested and the D.A.'s office suspended him and gave notice that he would be dismissed in 30 days. He was fired last month, Tasha Jamerson, spokeswoman for D.A. Seth Williams, said yesterday.

Fleisher, 47, who has been on the bench since 2001, has said through her attorney, Sam Stretton, that she will resign effective Monday to pursue other interests.