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Rule of law

Federal Judge Refers Philly DA to Department of Justice for Potential Prosecution

Judge concludes "progressive prosecutor" Larry Krasner and a deputy engaged in unethical--and potentially unlawful--conduct in their zeal to undo a criminal conviction.

Jonathan H. Adler | 9.16.2026 9:16 AM

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is perhaps the nation's most prominent "progressive prosecutors." Among his priorities as Philly's DA has been to facilitate sentence reductions and the undoing of criminal prosecutions where there are allegations of prosecutorial misconduct or actual innocence claims. The zeal with which Krasner's office has pursued these aims has raised eyebrows, however.

In June, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rebuked Krasner's office for withholding evidence and violating its duty of candor to the court when conceding that a death row inmate was entitled to a new trial, and that these failings were not an isolated occurrence. Rather, according to Justice  "There have been numerous instances of untrustworthy concessions, lack of candor, misrepresentations of fact, lack of adequate investigation, and avoidance of hearings" by the office's Conviction Integrity Unit. Accordingly, the court ordered that the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office would receive notice and a right to intervene in any case in which Krasner's office offered concessions to those seeking post-conviction relief.

Yesterday, federal district court judge Paul Diamond concluded that the ethical and legal problems in Krasner's office may be even more serious that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court had found. In a blistering order, he concluded that Krasner and one of his deputies, Matthew Stiegler, may have committed criminal misconduct in a case in which the office sought to undo a criminal........

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