A federal district court judge referred Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and his top deputy, Matthew Stiegler, to the U.S. Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond issued a 40-page opinion that recused both men from a homicide case and cited possible false statements, false declaration, perjury and obstruction of justice.
The case dates to a 2009 Philadelphia jury conviction of Dennis Johnson for second-degree murder, robbery and a firearms offense in the killing of Kenyatta Smith. Years later, Krasner's office reversed its position and conceded habeas relief. Diamond said that concession was not the result of sober, adversarial review.
The judge found that Stiegler had already decided to concede relief before assigning the matter to Jacqueline Mason, a prosecutor with no criminal-litigation experience and no relevant training. Mason said she was merely the 'conduit for drafting this,' while Stiegler said, 'if it's good enough for the Innocence Project, it's good enough for me.'
Diamond also found that Krasner pushed an effort to shape a 'false narrative' for the court. According to the opinion, Krasner told senior assistants that Stiegler had given him a 'really good idea' to review Mason's cases, find other mistakes and present them as a pattern.
The judge said the prosecutors' duty was to the Commonwealth, not institutional self-preservation. He also said Krasner warned there would be 'consequences' after supervisors said candor required disclosure of the conflict.