Fordham ethics professor Bruce Green says neither Krasner nor his office must step aside
Bruce A. GreenLouis Stein Chair of Law at Fordham University School of Law, giving an expert opinion at the request of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office
In a declaration the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office filed in the Dennis Johnson case, Fordham law professor Bruce A. Green gave his opinion that neither Krasner nor the office had a conflict of interest requiring their recusal.
“For the following reasons, my firm opinion, based on the facts provided for my consideration, is that neither District Attorney Krasner nor the District Attorney’s Office in its entirety has a conflict of interest that requires their recusal in this action.”
Original text
Original text
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
Eight-page declaration signed by Bruce A. Green on September 7, 2026 and filed on September 8, 2026 as Exhibit A to the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office's proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law (Doc. 169) on whether Krasner or the office should be disqualified. Green states that the office asked for his opinion, that he was not paid for it, and that he relied on a statement of facts the office provided. His curriculum vitae and that statement of facts are attached. Read in full from the CourtListener (RECAP) copy.
Original text
About this source
Memorandum of Judge Paul S. Diamond, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, filed September 15, 2026, 40 pages. The quoted excerpt is the contiguous conclusion at page 39. A near-identical sentence appears in the opening summary at page 1. The memorandum disqualifies Krasner and Stiegler, declines to disqualify the District Attorney's Office, and refers all three to the United States Attorney's Office. It names obstruction of justice under 18 U.S.C. 1503 and criminal conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. 371 as the conduct it has in mind. A referral is not a charge.
Before the quotation
Filed on September 8, 2026 as an exhibit to the District Attorney's Office's proposed findings on disqualification, a week before Judge Diamond ruled. Green wrote that the office asked for his opinion, that he was not paid for it, and that he relied on a statement of facts the office provided.
After the quotation
Green added that even if Krasner were personally accused of misconduct, it would not follow that he must disqualify himself. In his September 15 memorandum, Judge Diamond disqualified Krasner on conflict grounds, called Green's opinion "a disorganized mess and largely useless" and wrote that Green had "ignored critical facts that bear directly on the conflicts question."
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
This case covers Judge Diamond's findings about Krasner's conduct in the Johnson matter, including his finding that Krasner had a personal-interest conflict that required disqualification. Green disputes that legal reading: he says Krasner has no conflict requiring recusal. He does not address whether Krasner pressured staff, so denies does not fit, and he does not argue that any such pressure was justified. The label is challenges characterization.
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The Dispute Index. "Fordham ethics professor Bruce Green says neither Krasner nor his office must step aside". First published: 2026-10-12. Last updated: 2026-10-12. https://disputeindex.com/events/5619-in-a-declaration-the-philadelphia-district-attorney-s