Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, known for his aggressive stance against federal law enforcement and championing of criminal justice reform, faces a federal judge’s referral for investigation after being accused of potentially violating the law in a murder case from 2009. Judge Paul Diamond removed Krasner and Assistant DA Matthew Stiegler from involvement in Dennis Johnson's case, alleging misleading filings and possible obstruction of justice. The move follows criticism by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court last year over similar concerns about his office’s conduct.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond issued a scathing rebuke of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner on Tuesday, alleging that Krasner might have violated the law by engaging in shady legal tactics while attempting to overturn a murder conviction from 2009. The judge's criticism includes accusations of obstruction of justice and perjury against both Krasner and an assistant in his office. This development follows Krasner’s public allegations that President Trump is a 35-time felon, suggesting the referral by Judge Diamond to the Department of Justice for a criminal investigation could be seen as poetic justice.
Since taking office, Krasner, known for his radical left-wing stance and support from George Soros, has faced significant criticism. In June last year, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found Krasner’s office guilty of misleading filings to undermine murder cases and other convictions. Critics argue that Krasner's soft-on-crime policies have contributed to a record number of homicides in Philadelphia, with many attributing the spike in murders to his actions.
Krasner previously worked as a second public defender for the city, advocating strongly against prosecution and incarceration. He has been vocal about perceived racism within the criminal justice system but also controversially vowed to arrest FBI agents and "hunt down" ICE officers, stances that delighted his political base on the far left.
Written for “Trump Justice Backlash” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.40, but every quote it verified points right, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 16475: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-17
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has long been to the law what Philly fans are to football: they are simply willing to do things that others will not do.
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others → do → that
While Philly fans are known for taking their demonstrations to shocking levels, Krasner has long denounced adversaries as Nazis and pledged to arrest federal immigration officials.
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Krasner → know → officials
However, a federal judge has finally had enough of the anger and antics that have long been the special brand of Philadelphia’s top prosecutor.
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that → have → prosecutor
For full disclosure, Krasner and I went to college together at the University of Chicago in the same class in the 1980s.
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Krasner → go → 1980s
Since then, we have debated and disagreed on fundamental legal and ethical principles.
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we → debate → principles
Krasner has long worked as a second public defender for the city, running on his work to reduce the prosecution and incarceration of accused felons.
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Krasner → work → felons
He has portrayed the criminal justice system as racist and oppressive.
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He → portray → system
At the same time, he has held chest-pounding press conferences pledging to arrest FBI agents and to “hunt down” ICE officers.
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he → hold → officers
His theatrics have delighted his political base and the far left.
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theatrics → delight → base
The George Soros-funded prosecutor actually adopted a campaign slogan of “F— around and find out”: in 2025.
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prosecutor → fund → 2025
He was not referring to the criminals victimizing the city, but to federal officers seeking to enforce the law.
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He → refer → law
Even liberal Democratic judges have had enough.
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judges → have → enough
Last June, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court hit Krasner with a scathing opinion finding a pattern of misleading and mendacious filings by his office to undermine the criminal cases of murderers and other convicts.
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Court → hit → murderers
The rebuke prompted a signature response from Krasner.
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rebuke → prompt → Krasner
Citing the Juneteenth anniversary, Krasner accused the Court of attacking “the value of a vote in Philadelphia” and defending his staff as merely furthering the work of racial justice.
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Krasner → cite → justice
Now, District Judge Paul Diamond, a George W. Bush appointee, has reached his own limit with Krasner.
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Diamond → reach → Krasner
He has referred the District Attorney for investigation after taking the rare step of removing him and Assistant District Attorney Matthew Stiegler from involvement in a 2009 murder case.
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He → refer → case
Diamond wrote he had come to this decision “reluctantly” but had “concluded that Philadelphia’s highest law enforcement official and one of his top assistants may have violated the law.”
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official → write → law
He was referring to testimony alleging a pressure campaign against employees who raised concerns within the DA’s office over the handling of the case and the conduct of Stiegler.
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who → refer → Stiegler
Staffers were allegedly told that they could face “consequences” if they did not fall in line, and Diamond found that Krasner and Stiegler’s conduct may have amounted to perjury, obstruction of justice, false statements under oath, and conspiracy.
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conduct → tell → oath
The underlying case involved the conviction of Dennis Johnson in 2009 for killing Kenyatta Smith.
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case → underlie → Smith
In 2022, Krasner’s office filed to seek to help Johnson in a habeas action based on ineffective assistance of counsel.
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office → file → counsel
Krasner and his assistant Stiegler assigned then-Assistant District Attorney Jaclyn Mason to the case.
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Krasner → assign → case
Diamond noted that Mason had a background in patent and trademark law and “no experience as a criminal litigator.”
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Mason → note → litigator
What followed was a series of alleged misrepresentations to spring Johnson from prison, a pattern long associated with Krasner’s office.
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followed → follow → office
As Krasner and Stiegler circled the wagons in the office, there was a virtual mutiny among prosecutors who felt that the office had a conflict of interest and should not continue to handle the case.
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office → circle → case
Krasner is accused of coercing prosecutors and allegedly encouraging false and obstructive conduct.
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Krasner → accuse → conduct
Mason was trashed, but she insisted that she was scapegoated to protect Krasner and Stiegler.
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she → trash → Krasner
In another signature moment, Diamond accuses Krasner of referring to state lawyers in the case as “Nazis,” his favorite label for any political adversaries.
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Diamond → accuse → adversaries
The ultimate losers, however, are the victims like Kenyatta Smith and the others cast aside by Krasner in his use of his office to fuel racial politics and a radical agenda.
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losers → cast → politics
As I have written in prior controversies, Krasner appears to have exhausted the patience of courts and the loyalty of staff.
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Krasner → write → staff
He is accused of being a prosecutor who not only worked to undermine criminal cases but the justice system itself.
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He → accuse → cases
For a man who ran on the slogan “F around and find out,” Larry Krasner may soon find out.
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Krasner → run → slogan
Jonathan Turley is a law professor and the best-selling author of “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”
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Turley → sell → Revolution
The Aporia
