Tuesday, August 18, 2020

McSwain Blames Krasner For Dead 7 Year-Old; Media For Cover Up


By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain has come out swinging, pinning the blame for the senseless murder of a 7 year-old boy on District Attorney Larry Krasner's lax policies for prosecuting gun crimes.

In a two-fold attack, McSwain also took a swipe at the Progressive media in this town for continuing to cover up Krasner's obvious guilt for the epidemic of gun violence that's resulted to date in the shootings of more than 100 innocent children caught in the crossfire.

"Here's what the media won't tell you about the murder of Zamar Jones," McSwain tweeted yesterday. "The alleged shooter, Michael Banks, would have likely been off the streets had the DA's office not reduced a felony gun charge against him to a misdemeanor in 2019."

"By reducing the lead gun charge against Banks for no reason, the DA's office could then plead it out to nothing and Banks was immediately released -- and the rest is history," McSwain wrote. "The reason for the carnage is not hard to figure out."

It may not be hard for law enforcement types like McSwain to figure out which public official in town is most responsible for the surging gun violence. That would be our Progressive District Attorney who doesn't care about crime victims, runs an office that caters to criminals, and has a pathetic record when it comes to prosecuting gun crimes. But when it comes to the media, led by the corrupt Philadelphia Inquirer, they remain clueless shills who do nothing but cover for Krasner.

Kudos to McSwain for calling out both Krasner and his enablers in the media.

In his tweet where he ripped the media, McSwain linked to an Aug. 6th WHYY story that covered the West Philadelphia neighborhood "rocked by a weekend shootout" that resulted in the murder of 7 year-old Zamar Jones. According to the story, distraught neighbors were "trying to figure out what's next in what feels like a losing battle against a surge in gun violence."

WHYY was covering a meeting organized by the Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network that was attended by City Council members, D.A. Krasner and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. 

It was another day of official handwringing and empty speeches filled with platitudes as the criminals on the streets continue to shoot it out for control of the local, flourishing drug trade.

A tweet included in the story from WHYY reporter Ximena Conde quoted Krasner as saying that three suspects in the murder of Zamar Jones were being held without bail and would be "prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." It was an announcement that the reporter noted was greeted by residents with applause.

Only McSwain, however, talked about the ugly truth behind Zamar's death as spelled out in court records -- that D.A. Krasner was responsible for one of Zamar's killers being out on the street. To Big Trial readers, it's an all too-familiar story that involves Krasner operating a revolving door system of justice for criminals caught carrying illegal guns that puts them right back out on the street again, so they can commit more mayhem.

On Aug. 28, 2017, Michael Banks pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit retail theft, a third-degree felony that resulted in a sentence of two years probation. But on Oct. 23, 2018, Banks violated his probation when he was arrested for carrying firearms in public. 

As a convicted felon, Banks was barred from possessing a firearm. The D.A.'s office should have charged Banks with a felony for carrying the gun, an offense that carries as a maximum punishment a jail term of three and half to seven years. 

But what did Krasner's office do? Plenty of favors for Banks, starting with only charging him with a misdemeanor when he was caught carrying an illegal gun. Then, Krasner's office gave Banks a few more favors when it came time for sentencing. 

On Feb. 13, 2019, before Judge Shanese Johnson, Banks was sentenced to 3 to 9 months in jail and two years probation on the gun charge. On April 3, 2019, Banks was sentenced to 12 to 24 months in prison for violating his probation on the conspiracy to commit retail theft charge. 

But the two sentences apparently were to be served consecutively. And rather than having to do any further jail time, on April 3, 2019, Banks got credit for time served and walked.

On Aug. 1st, on the 200 block of North Simpson Street, Zamar Jones was sitting on his front porch on a Saturday night, with his toy race car and scooter, when men began shooting at each other. One of those met shot poor Zamar in the head. He was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. on Aug. 3rd.

In the Inquirer story about the death of Zamar, the paper of record quoted Krasner as faulting for the escalating gun violence "the availability of guns, as well as poverty, a lack of opportunity, and substance abuse."

"Every kid deserves to live free of violence, harm, or fear," Krasner was quoted as saying. Every kid also deserves to live free of a district attorney who endangers children every day by not enforcing state laws against criminals caught carrying illegal guns. 

And what does the district attorney of Philadelphia have to say in response to those serious charges leveled against him by U.S. Attorney McSwain?

As he has done for more than a year now, Krasner -- and his loyal henchman Jane Roh -- did not respond to a request for comment.

When it comes to answering hard questions about the corruption of his office, Larry Krasner has no answers.

All he can continue to do is try to fool all of the people all of the time. While his Progressive friends in the press corps -- like Chris Palmer of the Inquirer -- continue to cover for him. 

This past weekend, the city was the scene of 40 shootings and 10 stabbings, resulting in 13 homicides. The murder rate, on a record pace, is now up to 278, a 31 percent jump over last year. 

But the current body count doesn't include a couple of homicides over the weekend that instead of being marked with an "M" for murder, were marked by the cops with an "S" for "special assignment," which includes "suspicious deaths." 

It's a curious practice of the Philly PD, this business of marking dead bodies with an "S" rather than an "M," a murky system ripe for manipulation that Big Trial has previously shed some light on.

As usual, the vast majority of the assailants in last weekend's shootings, stabbings and murders, as well as the victims of those crimes, were identified by the cops as black males.

While the bodies are piling up, and the cops were looking for suspects, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw was busy expressing concern about something else that she considers a big problem -- the possibility of racial discrimination by the police during traffic stops. 

In an email sent out yesterday by Francis Healy, special advisor to the police commissioner, Healy said that "the PC" is asking each commander to come up with "at least one idea on how to reduce the number of stops and frisks still being made without the necessary suspicion."

The email was addressed to all "Police Captains, Police Staff Inspectors; Police Chief Inspectors." In the email, Healy informed the commanders that the PC was also looking for "at least one idea on how to address racial disparity in our stops."

The ideas were to be submitted by Aug. 31st "through the chain of command to my office [Room 312] at police headquarters," Outlaw said, through Healy's email.

"With respect to the lack of reasonable suspicion, a consistent number of reports deemed improper are really based upon clerical mistakes or errors," Healy wrote. "So, any ideas to avoid making the same mistake over and over again would dramatically change the percentage of improper stops."

"As to reducing racial disparity, there really is no clear answer," Healy wrote. "Everyone has an opinion, but few offer any real tangible solutions. So, the PC is looking to tap into the expertise of the Command Staff for ideas. If we, as law enforcement professional, don't come up with ideas that we can pilot or test, attorneys sitting behind desks, with no police experience, will come up with ideas."   

Meanwhile, there's a peaceful protest scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the corner of Broad and Snyder for "THE 100 PLUS CHILDREN AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE" on Philly's unsafe streets.

All are welcome.


  

7 comments

  1. "....If we, as law enforcement professional, don't come up with ideas that we can pilot or test, attorneys sitting behind desks, with no police experience, will come up with ideas..."

    Francis Healy, special advisor to the police commissioner, CAPTAIN and ATTORNEY

    Sure hope that any LEGAL GUIDANCE re racial disparity in vehicle investigations ensures that the SAFETY and PROTECTION of the investigating officers is PRIORITY #1. Of course, all in this forum recognize that an attorney's primary professional responsibility is to act in the best interests of the client, i.e., the Philadelphia Police Department.

    It should come as no surprise that the interests and concerns of the uniformed officers working the dangerous streets of our city RARELY coincide (align) with the goals and objectives of those in management in the PPD and City of Philadelphia. For those unsure of these "conflicting" interests, it may be beneficial to reach out to Chief Inspector Boyle or Staff Inspector Bologna for their insight and commentary.

    Michael Skiendzielewski Captain (Retired) P.P.D.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree, kudos to McSwain for pointing to the cover up by Inquirer reporters. Cover up is one good way to describe their actions, another would be to say they are in a compromised position. This egregious behavior is nothing new for them, they were part of the cover-up at the Philadelphia Traffic Court trial, Inquirer reporters turned the other way when the FBI agent on the case was caught repeatedly lying by the defense.

    Your readers have asked you for advice on who to contact at the Inquirer, such as who is in charge of editorials, or who they can contact for a response. My question is who is in charge of ethics over there, who decides that's is ethical to let an FBI agent lie and look the other way. Who is in charge of watching the prosecution deceive the public and allowing it to go unnoticed? Who is there to help if not the media.

    Its long past time to call it a cover-up, being part of the prosecution, hampers their ability to do the job of uncovering corruption, corruption in any form. Or is it part of their social justice campaign to allow a crime to be perpetrated against fellow citizens and look the other way because it fits their self-serving agenda?

    Lead by example Inquirer, save your social justice blather for someone else, not doing your job is detrimental to lives and liberty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They're hopelessly corrupted. Should be called the National Enquirer. Personally, I feel they are most certainly committing felonious crime each day they put that propaganda rag into the honor box. They only way they help me is that whatever they say, I know the opposite's true.

      Delete
    2. If the Inquirer wants us to act as one voice when we see discrimination or brutality, then the same courtesy needs to be extended to all who tell of abuse and corruption, not just those they have signaled out as under-served or underprivileged.

      Equality does not center only on race it means justice for all. The word corrupt should be reserving for the prosecution team, conspiring against a defendant by committing fraud, perjury, threatening witnesses to lie, hiding exculpatory evidence, using the media to sway public opinion whereby denying a defendant a fair trial, this deserves our outrage. If the Job of the media is to disenfranchise fellow citizens it certainly is succeeding.

      Delete
  3. There can be no doubt after the Speech by Obama with the back drop of the American Revolution Museum that the call to arms is now.

    These Demonrats and their Media Confederates have been fueling insurrection and the day of reckoning is upon us.

    Its time to put Obama in chains and prosecute him for treason.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a bit over the top, jailing someone for treason just because you do not agree with them is Un-American, or it has been for the last 244 years.

      Delete
    2. Obama is a Marxist Revolutionary who believes he is the 2nd Coming of Mandela.

      The ANC and BLM operate from the same Playbook and just as the Enemy States have coordinated the unrest with the Media and DemonRats, Trump has plenty of room in the Federal Prison System and they will force Trump's Hand and these Gangsters will go down before they burn down more of this Country and the Streets run with their contaminated blood.

      Delete

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