Was Richard Legree Sr. the man who was calling the shots in the Coatesville PD?

The Daily Local (dailylocal.com), Serving Chester County, PA
Police Chief Matthews to resign
Coatesville police chief to stay on the job until arson rampage resolved
Tuesday, February 10, 2009 6:50 AM EST
By JENNIFER MILLER, Staff Writer

COATESVILLE — Police Chief William Matthews recently told City Council members privately he intends to resign once arsons are no longer plaguing the city, the Daily Local News has learned.

Sources have told the Daily Local News Matthews, who joined the department in April 2007, that he informed City Council he will be leaving once the city is no longer in a state of emergency, which city officials declared last month in response to dozens of intentionally set fires.

More at:
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/02/10/news/srv0000004670365.txt


It is my understanding that Matthews did not really have that much say in the direction of the police department. In my opinion Richard Legree through Harry G. called the shots.

I believe that William Matthews is an honest man who made a sincere effort to help the people of Coatesville. I think he had no idea what he was getting into here in here in Chester County, PA. I believe that Bill Matthews unknowingly became trapped in Chester County "politics"

Richie or “Stretch” Legree Sr. was once called the “number one drug pusher in Chester County” by then Chester County DA Bill Lamb.

I believe it was Chester County Republican Committee Area 14 Chairman Richard Legree Sr. who, though Walker got Matthews to put Lt. Matt Gordon on “administrative leave”.

I believe that Lt. Gordon knew all the “players” here and had information stored in his head that made narcotics investigations much more effective. District Attorney Joe Carroll called Lt. Matthew Gordon “best narcotics investigator in Chester County”.

This is an excerpt of a letter from Matthews dated May 18, 2007:

"Unfortunately the city’s budget deficit will require a reduction of expenses. Public safety represents over half of the city’s budget. As a result, I have been told that personnel reductions in the police department must be made. I am confident that the City Council is aware of this situation.

The Department’s Re-organizations:

The backbone of any police department is the patrol function. Currently the department responds to over 25,000 calls for service a year. Because of lay-off we will lose six (6) patrol officers. Given the shift configuration we currently deploy (ie., two twelve hour shifts) this loss in patrol manpower will be addressed as follows:


Effective Saturday May 26, 2007 four members of the Detective Division will be transferred to the Patrol Division. These experienced investigations will have the following responsibilities or functions:

• Respond to calls for services when regular patrol officers are not available.
• Investigate minor crimes that take place on their shift.
• As mentors, improve the over-all quality of preliminary investigation, thereby leading to faster closures.

The investigators that will be transferred will be allowed to continue working on the major crime cases that are currently assigned to them. We are in the process of working out the details associated with a new chain of command and supervision. I am pleased that the investigators are taking the imitative to make this plan work and are making helpful suggestions and recommendations."

Richard’s son Richard Legree Jr. has his sentencing hearing scheduled for February 23, 2009 in the Eastern PA District Federal Court. This is an excerpt of Jr.’s pre-trial detention hearing:


IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: CRIMINAL NO. 06-504
v. :
RICHARD LEGREE, JR.:
GOVERNMENT’S MOTION FOR PRETRIAL DETENTION

D. Lack Of Community Ties/Employment:

1. Although the defendant has considerable ties to the Coatesville area, he is currently unemployed and has been captured on audiotape arranging drug deals while residing in his father’s house on home confinement.

This conversation, in relevant part, states:

CK-05-0082/YNC3G
Exhibit N-130 – May 3, 2007 CS04-115719 meeting with Richard LEGREE Jr., in Coatesville, PA.

CS – DEA CS04-115719

RL – Richard LEGREE Jr.
Excerpt Four

RL That is the house phone

CS I don’t know man, that is your number right there is that a will your number stay on

RL Yeah that is my cell phone number

CS Alright I am going to, what I am going to do is ahhh call you man you know

RL So what you trying work out or something

CS Weight belt, thirty pounds…all weight solid, you know what I am saying, solid weight, you know what I am saying, you need to work on this court right here, this is a nice little joint I got me but this isn’t even the suburbs though, not with those sand bag wasted stuff

RL No you see this complex, they redoing it

CS Maybe I need to holler at your pop he seems like the man, it seem like you sit next to the man, he the real man

RL You know what I don’t know what I do to get this type of treatment, I don’t know

CS I am going to call you though man seriously man though

RL Call me we will put something together

CS You sure

RL I ain’t lying

CS Alright, cause there is a drought down in Philly, price is like four stacks down there

RL For what

CS 4 ½

RL Are you serious

CS Yeah, I don’t know how it isn’t affecting you all but 4 and a

RL Are up serious

CS Yup, 3900, 3700, for months it been like this, because of the killings I don’t know, lot of dudes getting robbed getting killed down there, lot of dudes getting served and getting set up, yeah come on and bring it and getting stuck up, that is why I am asking you for sure because you can make some money

RL Yeah

CS I am going to call you

RL Call me

CS I am, I am going to call you

RL You said four a stack

CS You can make some money, just by doing what you doing right here sitting in your garage, I mean I give you the money and you holler who ever you holler at, rear rap, four stacks
3900

RL I never known it to be that high Juicy, never

CS Ounces going for a stack, a stack, it is a drought I am shocked that you told me it was up here, like that is like good news and you get that working I am going to call you

RL Listen I am going to get on the phone today

CS Call me

RL Listen I am going to call you within an hour or two
CS Yeah

RL I am going to see what

CS See if you can get a half, alright see if you can get a half and I will come back up here, King of Prussia where ever you want me to come at, yo you have to do something about this weight bench though, seriously man, I don’t know if that jawn is from the 70’s or what, I got a navigational system homey…oh ok
---------------------------------------------------