Monday, March 16, 2020

Stung By Criticism On Social Media, D.A. Larry Krasner Dials 911

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

It was a rough weekend for District Attorney Larry Krasner.

Last Friday, he tried to visit Temple University Hospital where a murdered police officer's family was grieving. But officers outside the hospital linked arms and made a human wall to prevent Krasner from entering. The TV cameras caught Krasner and his entourage walking away from the thick blue line. When Krasner tried to slip in the hospital through a back entrance, the cops blocked him there as well.

Over the weekend, critics on social media pounded away at Krasner's turnstile style of justice manned by rookie prosecutors that grants all kinds of favors to criminals, to put them back out on the street as soon as possible, so they can commit more crimes and hurt more people. By 1 p.m. Sunday, the criticism on social media had grown so intense that Krasner called 911 to report he'd been threatened.

According to a crime report, Krasner complained that his "personal home residence was posted on social media, along with some personal dissatisfactions with the way he is running his office."

Imagine that. Then today, one of Krasner's most prominent critics, U.S. Attorney William McSwain, dropped the hammer. McSwain issued a press release that blasted Krasner, saying the Friday murder of Cpl. James O'Connor IV was "the direct result" of Krasner's "pro-violent defendant policies."

According to McSwain, Hassan Elliott, the man that O'Connor led a SWAT team to arrest when he was killed, "was on the street for one reason" -- Krasner's "pro-violent policies." They included "permissive bail conditions for violent offenders, failing to pursue serious probation and parole violations by violent criminals, offering lenient plea deals for violent offenses, and outright withdrawing cases against violent felons."

McSwain said that Elliott, 21, was a longtime member of a violent gang called "1700" that blights the area of 1700 Brill Street and 1700 Scattergood Street.

"The gang is alleged to be responsible for many shootings in the area and is brazen about their access to firearms," McSwain wrote. The U.S. Attorney recommended viewing a YouTube rap video, "Frankford Purge," that features Elliott at the 1.29 minute mark, "partially masked, brandishing a firearm."

McSwain then went through the D.A.'s record of leniency involving Elliott, the same record that Big Trial has laid out in two recent postings. McSwain cited a "below-guidelines sentence" of 9 to 23 months in prison that Elliott received after he pleaded guilty to a firearms charge.

Following his release, McSwain said, the Philadelphia Probation and Parole Department categorized Elliott as a "high risk" offender and placed him under the supervision of the Anti-Violence High Risk Unit. Elliott was required to make weekly visits to his probation officer and submit to regular urine tests.

"Elliott violated his parole almost immediately by failing numerous drug tests, and also by repeatedly failing to report to his parole officer," McSwain wrote.

Elliott was scheduled for a parole violation hearing on Feb. 6, 2019. But prior to that hearing, on Jan. 29, 2019, Elliott was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine after a foot chase, when police found 15 packets of cocaine in Elliott's pockets.

"This arrest was in direct violation of Elliott's parole, but the District Attorney's office did not pursue a detainer against him or make any attempt to have Elliott taken into custody for this serious violation," McSwain wrote. The D.A.'s office "allowed Elliott to be released on his own recognizance -- no bail was set."

"This is stunning," McSwain wrote, "considering that Elliott was on parole for his firearms conviction. Here, there was an arrest, and multiple parole violations and the Krasner regime did nothing."

But the Philadelphia Police Department identified Elliottt as an "Operation Pinpoint" target offender, a crime fighting strategy that according to the U.S. Attorney, "targets the worst violent offenders in the city."

"Even with Elliott now identify as one of the city's worst violent offenders, Krasner's office still did nothing in response to Elliott's violation of his parole through his cocaine arrest," McSwain wrote.

On March 1, 2019, McSwain said, after Elliott attended a pretrial status listing for his cocaine case, he allegedly murdered Tyree Tyrone on the 5300 block of Duffield Street.

"Elliott and another man, both armed with handguns, approached Tyrone, who was sitting his his car, and allegedly opened fire at close range," McSwain wrote. "Video showed Elliott fleeing the scene and his fingerprints were found on one of the alleged murder weapons."

On March 26, 2019, the D.A.'s office issued an arrest warrant for the murder of Tyrone. The next day, Elliott was scheduled to go to trial on the cocaine charge, and didn't show. Despite the defendant's absence, the D.A. withdrew the drug charge, citing prosecutorial discretion.

"These facts paint a damning picture of a prosecutor's office that prioritizes 'decarceration' of violent offenders over public safety," McSwain wrote.

"First, it is inexcusable that the District Attorney's office made no attempt to take Elliott into custody after his cocaine arrest. Had he been detained after his Jan. 29, 2019 arrest -- which was a direct violation of his parole on the earlier gun conviction -- he certainly would have been in prison on March 1, 2019, when he allegedly murdered Tyree Tyrone."

"And if that were the case, Corporal O'Connor would not have been trying to arrest Elliott for that murder last Friday. Instead, Corporal O'Connor would be alive today, as would Mr. Tyrone."

As Big Trial previously pointed out, McSwain agreed that it was a dumb move to drop the cocaine case against Elliott. McSwain called it "inexcusable."

In an interview Jane Roh, Krasner's spokesperson, told reporters at the gullible Philadelphia Inquirer that dropping the drug charge "had no bearing on public safety."

But McSwain disagreed.

"No responsible prosecutor's office would ever voluntarily withdraw a case against a violent defendant who doesn't show up for his first trial date," McSwain wrote. Elliott, the U.S. Attorney wrote, had been identified by the cops as "one of the worst violent offenders in the city . . . a gang-banger wanted for murder."

"How could any rational human being possibly decide to withdraw the cocaine case against Elliott in these circumstances?" the U.S. Attorney asked. "The bottom line," McSwain wrote, is that "this District Attorney's priorities alway lie with violent offenders, consequences be damned."

"Krasner has much to answer for" after the murder of Cpl. O'Connor, McSwain wrote. "He should be asked tough questions."

"Krasner has infected the District Attorney's office with a sickness that has deadly consequences for the entire city," the U.S. Attorney concluded. "Enough is enough. This madness must stop."

Well, as Big Trial can attest, Krasner doesn't answer any tough questions. He only takes questions from fellow Progressives, like his friends at The Philadelphia Inquirer, who coddle Krasner the same way he coddles criminals.

And the only way the madness stops is if Larry Krasner is out of office, and preferably in a jail cell next to the man he succeeded. That's former D.A. Rufus Seth Williams, now doing five years in a federal prison for political corruption that included taking bribes and stealing from his own mother.

Philadelphia voters sure are great at picking D.A.s.

But rest assured, in the wake of Corporal O'Connor's murder, the city under Progressive Mayor Jim Kenney is finally cracking down. But it's not on our corrupt district attorney, it's on the police.

Yep, you heard that right. Over the weekend, a note went out from Chief Inspector Joel Dales in the Patrol Bureau.

"Commanders,

"Please ensure that everyone under your command adheres to our Social Media policy. Since the murder of Cprl. O'Connor, anti-Krasner postings have increased on social media. At this time, it is unknown if any of the postings were posted by police officers."

"Please ensure that our social media policy is read at all roll calls for the next 3 days."

"Thanks, JD."

16 comments

  1. I can't like this enough. Funny how Larry and Kenney didn't have a problem when BLM showed up on Ryan Pownall's block loaded with bullhorns disrupting the entire neighborhood. Kenney told all Police to stand down. So now his address is put out there and he doesn't like it. Aint life a bitch.

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    1. Word has it that Krasner only paid a buck for that house on S. Camac St., and that Rauh is co-owner. Does that mean he pays no property taxes?

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    2. that's an excellent question - can someone look into that? you just have to plug in the address on google and that info can be accessed

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    3. Records were also posted on line. He paid $1... its worth O and he doesnt pay taxes...

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  2. Mr Krasner has no issue with police officers having their names and personal information being published and protesters showing up at their homes.

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  3. Ralph Cipriano is exactly right with this article. Its not just the useless D.A. to blame for all of this, along with a feckless mayor, its the Inquirer too. Where is the coverage of the D.A.'s office and how it is run? The Inquirer has been out of touch with the average Philly citizen for so long, they wouldn't even know where to begin. If a story doesn't fit their progressive agenda, it doesn't get run. If they spoke to almost anyone in the Northeast they would find out very quickly just how low of an opinion they have of Krasner, Kenney and the "Inky".

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  4. Instead of 911 he should have called the District attorneys office and reported it.

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  5. Excellent investigative reporting, as always Ralph. Krasner MUST RESIGN and Kenney should too, as they now have the blood of Corporal O'Conner on their hands. Rest in peace Corporal O'Connor. The loss of such an outstanding officer, husband, father and friend is, at the very least, heartbreaking.

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  6. If US Attorney McSwain had a pair of balls, he would start by arresting DA Krasner and charge him with Public Endangerment. Then follow up with the Mayor and Police Commissioner as accessories.

    Let's see whether his County Detective Detail and the Police Security will protect these sniveling POS.

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    1. Well said. What about his fat female cop assigned to his detail who was bickering back in forth with a defense attorney on Facebook about the recent police shooting? This POS was defending Krasner!!! Who's side is she on?

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  7. Jane Roh is a sack of festering puss

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  8. I am not in law enforcement at any level but I know a FPOS when I see one, especially when he proves his status repeatedly. Krasner's complete irresponsibility to his elected office has had fatal consequences, including the murder of a Philadelphia Police Officer. Let's keep the high heat on this sick individual. He has to go. As U.S. Attorney William McSwain put it so very well, 'enough is enough'.

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  9. I think some of the dates in this story should be 2020 not 2019?

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  10. I would say the Inky is putting citizens in harms way by not reporting the facts, they are giving preferential treatment to one person over another. Just the way they do with the prosecution over average citizens.I see no difference between the Inky and the prosecution trying to promote their agenda to condemn a defendant by false and misleading facts.

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  11. Ralph. One of the cops driving Krasner Agnes H is the one who was bickering on Facebook with defense attorney Brittany G. FYI. Agnes is close friends and drinking buddies with Councilwoman Sanchez....go figure. Also Agnes H son is Sanchez' s driver. How convenient. By the way did she violate the PPD Social Media policy when she was defending Krasner? Was she on the clock??? Hey Agnes... Yes we have the screenshots!!

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  12. ralph@bigtrial.net. Happy to see what you got.

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