DOJ Sends Grand Jury Subpoenas to Philadelphia DA Krasner's Office After Judge's Criminal Referral
The U.S. Justice Department has sent grand jury subpoenas to the office of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner in recent days, related to possible obstruction of justice, Fox News first reported and the New York Post also reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. The Justice Department declined to comment, Krasner's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and neither Krasner nor his deputy Matthew Stiegler has been charged.
The subpoenas follow a September referral by U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond. After hearing testimony from multiple employees of the Philadelphia District Attorney's office in proceedings over Dennis Johnson's effort to overturn his murder conviction, Diamond issued a 40-page memorandum concluding that the evidence could constitute false statements, perjury, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. He disqualified Krasner and Stiegler from the case and referred both men to the U.S. Attorney's Office for investigation, writing that he had reluctantly concluded that Philadelphia's highest law enforcement official and one of his top assistants may have violated the law.
Johnson was convicted in 2009 of second-degree murder for the 2007 killing of Kenyatta Smith during a robbery at a North Philadelphia convenience store. Krasner's office petitioned in 2022 for Johnson's release, claiming inadequate counsel, then moved in June of this year to withdraw the petition over material misstatements that the DA and Stiegler allegedly sought to pin on a since-resigned assistant district attorney, Jaclyn Mason. Mason wrote in her resignation letter that she had been asked to fall on her sword. The Post reported that line prosecutors testified Krasner insisted his office remain involved to protect the office rather than refer the matter to the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
Krasner responded when the referral became public that he respectfully and vigorously disagreed with the court's findings of fact and conclusions of law, that he looked forward to appealing as soon as the law allows, and that the pending case limited what he and his office could say publicly for now.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 费城市政厅南立面「正义」拱门（资料图）。Magiluke 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经维基共享资源。
