Funeral Today For Officer Marc Brady
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - For the second Friday in a row, a Philadelphia Police officer will be laid to rest, today. Officer Marc Brady, 32, was killed last Sunday near his home while riding a bicycle. His former girlfriend's current boyfriend is charged with homicide by vehicle.
Brady's funeral has been organized by the family, in contrast with the funeral with honors one week ago of Highway Patrol Officer Brian Lorenzo.
Both Brady and Lorenzo died while off-duty, but Police Commissioner Ramsey determined that the circumstances of Lorenzo's death warranted a full ceremony with honors organized in part by the department.
Police spokesman Lt. Ray Evers spells out those factors: "We know he was off-duty, but he was returning home (from an overtime shift), riding a departmental motorcycle, he was in full uniform, the specialized unit that he was in, and the duties that come along with that specialized unit, Highway Patrol."
Evers says the department will have a presence at today's funeral for Brady, and he voices prayers for the family. But, he says Ramsey determined that the circumstances of Brady's death did not warrant a departmental funeral.
"He was in civilian attire, he was on a bicycle -- things of that nature."
Evers adds that in all instances in which an officer dies while off duty, it is the commissioner's discretion as to whether a funeral with honors is granted.
"That final decision made by the police commissioner."
The determination of whether the surviving family qualifies for line-of-duty death benefits is made by other city officials, not the commissioner.
Officer Brady's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. at the Pentecostal Bridegroom Temple, 6425 Wister Street, near Chelten Avenue.
