Leonard Galli, left, with his attorney, Demetrius Fannick, are seen outside Luzerne County Central Court on Aug. 20.
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WILKES-BARRE — An attorney for embattled former Exeter police officer Leonard Galli wants to know if Musa Harris, the self-proclaimed Luzerne County Predator Catcher, was given assistance by Luzerne County detectives.
Galli, 54, of Exeter, was charged Jan. 8, 2021 based on Harris’ confrontation with him outside a Turkey Hill store in Plains Township in August 2020.
According to court records, Galli communicated with a “witness” on a social networking site and an online dating application. Galli referred to himself as “Paul” and expressed an interest in having sexual contact. Galli further sent pictures of himself to the witness.
Harris is not identified in court records but he acknowledged to the Times Leader he is the witness.
The witness reported his age as 15 during text messages with “Paul,” who told the witness he was 39.
When Galli arrived allegedly to meet the boy, Harris approached him while recording the confrontation.
Harris uploaded the video on his Facebook and YouTube channels.
Galli’s attorney, Demetrius Fannick, recently filed a motion seeking to force the district attorney’s office to surrender information about Harris.
Fannick claimed he had received more than 100 pages of evidence, called discovery, and two DVDs.
But, Fannick wants to know if any law enforcement officials “met with Musa Harris to discuss, advise, instruct, review video or discourage his actions/activity as the self-proclaimed Luzerne County Predator Catcher.”
Fannick wrote the “witness” is not identified in Galli’s criminal complaint but known to be Harris.
“Because Mr. Harris is not a public law enforcement official, the first relevant question is whether or not he is/was a person acting in cooperation with such an official,” Fannick wrote.
Harris has reportedly confronted and exposed nearly 150 people within the last two years.
“Whether law enforcement openly or tacitly encouraged or allowed Harris’ activity to continue is relevant and material to the defense. If they provided assistance or suggestions regarding how to conduct his vigilante sting operation, the substance of any meeting with Harris is relevant and material to the issue of whether Harris was a person acting in cooperation with law enforcement triggering the entrapment statute,” Fannick wrote.
In response, the district attorney’s office stated Fannick has the option to hire a private investigator to interview witnesses, including Harris.
“Mr. Harris is the best source of information regarding whether or not he had any meetings with any law enforcement agency prior to Jan. 8, 2021,” prosecutors stated in their response.
A motions hearing is scheduled today before Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr.
Galli is scheduled for a jury trial in May.