Steven Wildberger says Krasner "sought to discredit" him and Ernst

Steven WildbergerAssistant district attorney, Philadelphia District Attorney's Office (resigned October 6, 2026; statement co-signed with Katherine Ernst)

Condemned

Wildberger and Katherine Ernst said that because Krasner had declined to address their concerns about his court filings, they could no longer work for him, saying he had sought to discredit them. Both resigned late on Tuesday, October 6.

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.

“sought to discredit us in the eyes of the public we represent”

Reporting

Open source (opens in a new tab)Two Philadelphia prosecutors resign after dispute with Krasner · The Philadelphia InquirerParagraphs beginning: Two assistant district attorneys; resignation effective late Tuesday

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Other statements by Steven Wildberger in this case

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Larry Krasner
Credit: Michael Candelori

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.

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Source and context

Reporting

Two Philadelphia prosecutors resign after dispute with Krasner (opens in a new tab) · The Philadelphia InquirerParagraphs beginning: Two assistant district attorneys; resignation effective late Tuesday

About this source

Original reporting on Katherine Ernst and Steven Wildberger resigning late October 6 after Krasner declined their requested changes to filings.

Before the quotation

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer on October 7, Ernst and Wildberger said that because Krasner had declined to address their concerns about his court filings, they could no longer work for him. The report attributes the words to both and does not say when they were written.

After the quotation

Their resignations took effect late on October 6. Krasner said in an email reply to their memo that his recollections were accurate and his conclusions were drawn "in good faith," and he accused them of insubordination.

How this statement is classified

Condemned

The label describes this statement's response within the context above.

Why this label?

Wildberger says Krasner tried to discredit him and Ernst after they disputed how his filings described them. That criticizes Krasner's conduct toward the staff involved in the matter the case examines, so the label is condemns.

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Larry Krasner

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Preib urges scrutiny of prosecutors in Philadelphia and Chicago

Martin Preib

“While the Chicago media refuses to address the blatant parallels between top prosecutors in Philly and Chicago, federal investigators should not refuse to do so. Restoring the criminal justice system, in particular holding police killers accountable, is a central theme of the Trump administration. The feds must do their job not just in Philly, but Chicago as well.”
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The Dispute Index
Title
Steven Wildberger says Krasner "sought to discredit" him and Ernst
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https://disputeindex.com/events/5625-wildberger-and-katherine-ernst-said-that-because-krasner

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The Dispute Index. "Steven Wildberger says Krasner "sought to discredit" him and Ernst". First published: 2026-10-12. Last updated: 2026-10-12. https://disputeindex.com/events/5625-wildberger-and-katherine-ernst-said-that-because-krasner