Larry Krasner calls Judge Diamond's accusations "baseless" in a sworn declaration
Larry KrasnerDistrict Attorney of Philadelphia
In a declaration filed with his office's motion for reconsideration, Krasner said Judge Diamond's accusations against him and Stiegler and the referral to the Justice Department are baseless.
Responding to
Krasner and Stiegler pressured Conviction Integrity Unit prosecutors to blame a departed colleague for errors and to present a false narrative to the court about the DAO's internal handling of Dennis Johnson's habeas petition -- conduct that "is tantamount to a prima facie showing" of false statements, false declarations under oath, perjury, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy.
“This Court’s oral and written accusations of ADA Matt Stiegler and me (DA Larry Krasner) and its “referral” to the US Department of Justice are virtually unprecedented and are, in fact, baseless. I respectfully submit they must be re-considered.”
Original text
Reporting
Other statements by Larry Krasner in this case
- Larry Krasner tells two prosecutors their account is "factually misleading"Later: Challenged the characterization
- Krasner tells the court he and his supervisors "acted with integrity"Later: Challenged the characterization
- Krasner denies criminal and deliberate wrongdoing in WHYY interviewLater: Denied
Where this statement fits
Did Larry Krasner Pressure Staff to Mislead a Federal Judge About a Murder-Conviction Appeal?
A federal judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania found that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and Matthew Stiegler, chief of his office's Conviction Integrity Unit, may have pressured subordinate prosecutors to blame a departed colleague and present a false account to the court about an internal dispute over a 2022 concession in a habeas corpus case, and referred Krasner, Stiegler, and the District Attorney's Office to the U.S. Attorney's Office for investigation. Krasner disputes the judge's findings and says he will appeal.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
Nine-page declaration signed by Larry Krasner, filed as Exhibit A to the District Attorney's motion for reconsideration (Doc. 176). It gives Krasner's account of meetings with Law Division supervisors, including Katherine Ernst and Steven Wildberger. Read in full from the CourtListener (RECAP) copy.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Philadelphia Inquirer report on the District Attorney's motions for reconsideration and recusal and Krasner's declaration.
Before the quotation
Filed on September 29, 2026 as Exhibit A to the District Attorney's Office's motion asking Judge Diamond to reconsider his September 15 memorandum and order.
After the quotation
The declaration goes on to say the court's findings "twist the truth to the point of breaking" and gives Krasner's account of his meetings with Law Division supervisors, including Katherine Ernst and Steven Wildberger.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Krasner rejects the judge's account of his and Stiegler's conduct as baseless and says the findings twist the truth. He disputes that the conduct happened as described rather than defending it as justified, so the label is challenges characterization, consistent with his September 15 response.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Paul S. Diamond
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U.S. Attorney's office in Philadelphia declines to comment on Judge Diamond's referral of Krasner
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
“The U.S. Attorney's Office declines to comment.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Larry Krasner calls Judge Diamond's accusations "baseless" in a sworn declaration". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4966-in-a-declaration-filed-with-his-office-s