A federal judge has referred Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and top deputy Matthew Stiegler to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal investigation. Krasner, backed by George Soros, is linked to crimes committed during the handling of a post-conviction case.
U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond Jr. wrote in a memo, “I have thus reluctantly concluded that Philadelphia’s highest law enforcement official and one of his top assistants may have violated the law. In these circumstances, with the issuance of this Memorandum, I refer the DAO, Mr. Krasner, and Stiegler to this District’s United States Attorney’s Office for investigation and other appropriate action.”
The judge called out Krasner’s role in pushing a “criminal conspiracy,” as both he and Stiegler “worked together to try to convince the Four to urge the Court to accept a false narrative.”
The case surrounds Dennis Johnson, who was convicted of killing Kenyatta Smith in 2009. Krasner’s office said in 2022 that Johnson was entitled to habeas relief, although prosecutors raised conflicts on the matter as the “District Attorney received litigation advice from Stiegler, who—because he was more concerned with his professional reputation than Johnson’s merits—had a clear conflict of interest,” the memo says.
Krasner argued that someone needed to remain involved in the case to “protect the office,” pushing back on efforts to send the case to the Attorney General’s Office, reports indicate.
Commenting on the memo, Krasner stated, as per NBC News, “I respectfully and vigorously disagree with the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law. I look forward to appealing to the higher court as soon as the law allows. This remains a pending matter, which limits for now my and my office’s ability to respond in the media.”
Krasner has also been involved in Trump administration-related cases, recently condemning President Trump’s White House ballroom. “In about 10 to 15 years, we are all going to be sitting here with smiles on our faces,” Krasner said, as per NBC 10 Philadelphia. “And I’m going to have a paperweight sitting on my desk. And do you know what that paper weight’s going to be? It’s going to be a piece of the ballroom after we blow it up.”
