PHILADELPHIA – A former Philadelphia police officer who was hailed as a hero and sat next to Michelle Obama at a presidential address will stand trial on charges he raped two prostitutes at gunpoint.
The November trial comes after 28-year-old Richard DeCoatsworth withdrew a plea to reduced charges Tuesday.
DeCoatsworth has experienced a long slide since he was shot in the face pursuing a suspect in 2007 and attended the president's State of the Union address in 2009.
A defense lawyer says DeCoatsworth became addicted to painkillers after the shooting.
DeCoatsworth faces decades in prison if convicted of the most serious charges. But he says he wants to clear his name, even though he might have left prison soon under the plea agreement.
A judge denied his request for bail, calling him a danger to the community.
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