Giovanni's Court-Appointed Defense

Before Reid's trial got underway, it appears that an easel had already been assembled for coloring the public's perception of him, from adverse pre-trial publicity to subliminal messages that he was someone to be feared. Reid told me that during his preliminary hearing, that he could not help but to notice the unmistakable silhouette of bulletproof vests worn under the clothing of three of his friends who had become government witnesses. He also said that a bulletproof shield had been erected in the courtroom. It is my considered opinion that the decision to try him with a co-defendant only served to reinforce public disdain for him. Aside from that, it provided prosecutor Michael McGovern, with the canvas to use a broad brush, with which he painted the illusion of Reid's guilt on.

Reid's court-appointed attorney was former Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge, Michael E. Wallace. Several years before the Reid trial, Mr. Wallace was faced with his own set of legal problems. He had been accused of accepting a bribe from Union leaders during the 1980's Roofers Union scandal in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Published reports at that time said that he, along with several other Common Pleas and Municipal Court judges were indicted for colluding with corrupt union leaders and members of organized crime (mob). It was reported that they were paid to look the other way whenever a defendant from the union or mob appeared before them.

According to Reid, Wallace had prepared him for taking the stand, but when it came time for him to do so, he advised against it, telling him that, "McGovern is a skilled prosecutor; he will trip you up on the stand." Reid said that the reason that he looked forward to testifying is because he knew that he was innocent, and as such, would ultimately be found not guilty. And it was for that same reason that he said he had earlier turned down the chance to plea bargain, unlike his co-defendant Dwayne Bennett. Days before the trial would commence, Dwayne opted to plead guilty to first-degree murder and other related charges. He received a sentence of life imprisonment, without the possibility of parole.

Reid told me that although he felt disappointed by Wallace's decision, that neither he nor his parents questioned it. His mother, Melvina Reid, told me that since Wallace was a former judge, that she did not try and second guess his strategy. Giovanni Reid went on to tell me that although Wallace made it a point at different intervals to tell the jury that he had character witnesses lined up to testify on his behalf, that he never called a single one of them to the stand. While it was Reid's recollection that the Commonwealth rested its case after key witness Lorraine Hill testified that she saw two males holding the victim while the third man robbed and shot him, it actually ended with the Medical Examiner's autopsy report. Nonetheless, Reid said that when the government rested its case, so too did the defense.