The Dispute Index

Larry Krasner

Portrait of Larry Krasner
Michael Candelori

District Attorney of Philadelphia, elected in 2017.

Website (opens in a new tab)
X (opens in a new tab)

What we have documented

We have documented 6 statements by Larry Krasner, in 1 case. Each statement below gives the quotation, its original source and a link to the full case.

Case updates

What happens next with the judge's findings on Larry Krasner?

Get an email if Judge Diamond rules on the reconsideration or recusal motions, if federal prosecutors act on the referral, or if Krasner appeals.

Important updates only. Free. Confirm your email to start. Unsubscribe anytime. How we handle your email.

Statements by Larry Krasner

Portrait of Larry Krasner

Larry Krasner

Role at the time: Philadelphia district attorney, interviewed on WHYY's Studio 2

Denied

Statement summary

Krasner denies wrongdoing and says he is not worried. He characterizes the inquiry as political retaliation; the report says there is no indication Trump or the attorney general directed it.

“Not only did we do nothing criminal, we did nothing that was deliberately wrong,”
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)The DOJ investigation into Philadelphia DA Larry KrasnerStudio 2 episode, 48:12
Why we used this label

The matter under scrutiny is alleged misconduct by Krasner and his office in the Johnson litigation. He explicitly denies criminal and deliberate wrongdoing.

Read statementFull case: Did Larry Krasner Pressure Staff to Mislead a Federal Judge About a Murder-Conviction Appeal?
Portrait of Larry Krasner

Larry Krasner

Role at the time: District Attorney of Philadelphia

Challenged the characterization

Response to this claim

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.

“DA Krasner and his supervisory assistants acted with integrity in seeking to withdraw the erroneous brief, correct the errors, and change position to oppose a new trial”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Reply in Support of Motion for Recusal, Johnson v. Nickelson, No. 2:15-cv-04965-PD (E.D. Pa. Oct. 9, 2026)Doc. 181, pp. 1-2 and n.1
Why we used this label

Relative to the conduct under scrutiny, Krasner disputes the court's account by saying he and his supervisors acted with integrity in correcting the erroneous brief. He contests how his conduct is described and does not argue that pressuring staff would be justified, so the label is challenges characterization.

Read statementFull case: Did Larry Krasner Pressure Staff to Mislead a Federal Judge About a Murder-Conviction Appeal?
Portrait of Larry Krasner

Larry Krasner

Role at the time: District Attorney of Philadelphia

Challenged the characterization

Response to this claim

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.

“I have shown great restraint in not taking action within the office against your insubordination, your legally incorrect and unexamined positions, your factually misleading representations, and the damage they have caused your co-workers and the office”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Two prosecutors said if Philly DA Larry Krasner doesn’t retract ‘untrue’ court filings, they will quit · The Philadelphia Inquirer
Why we used this label

Krasner rejects the prosecutors' account of his conduct as misleading and stands by his filings. He disputes the description of events rather than defending the alleged conduct as acceptable, so the label is challenges characterization.

Read statementFull case: Did Larry Krasner Pressure Staff to Mislead a Federal Judge About a Murder-Conviction Appeal?
Portrait of Larry Krasner

Larry Krasner

Role at the time: District Attorney of Philadelphia

Challenged the characterization

Response to this claim

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.”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Declaration of Larry Krasner, Johnson v. Nickelson, No. 2:15-cv-04965-PD (E.D. Pa. Sept. 29, 2026)Doc. 176-1, pp. 1, 7-8
Why we used 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.

Read statementFull case: Did Larry Krasner Pressure Staff to Mislead a Federal Judge About a Murder-Conviction Appeal?
Portrait of Larry Krasner

Larry Krasner

Role at the time: Philadelphia district attorney, in a Tuesday statement reported September 24

Challenged the characterization

Statement summary

Krasner answers the referral by comparing accusations against him with accusations against people whose convictions his office helped overturn. He also points to other people targeted by the Trump Justice Department.

“Or ask dozens of innocent people whose exonerations this DA’s office supported what they say about accusations.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Philly DA Larry Krasner faces an uncertain political future as Democrats weigh what could come nextAnna Orso original Inquirer report, syndicated by Tribune Content Agency; Krasner's Tuesday statement
Why we used this label

The reference point is characterizing the alleged pressure and handling of the Johnson appeal as possible criminal misconduct. Krasner challenges the weight and framing of accusations without directly rebutting each factual allegation.

Read statementFull case: Did Larry Krasner Pressure Staff to Mislead a Federal Judge About a Murder-Conviction Appeal?
Portrait of Larry Krasner

Larry Krasner

Role at the time: District Attorney of Philadelphia

Challenged the characterization

Response to this claim

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.

“I respectfully and vigorously disagree with the court's findings of fact and conclusions of law. I look forward to appealing to the higher court as soon as the law allows. This remains a pending matter, which limits for now my and my office's ability to respond in the media.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)A federal judge said he believes DA Larry Krasner may have broken the law and is referring him to prosecutors
Why we used this label

Krasner disputes Judge Diamond's findings of fact and legal conclusions wholesale, without admitting the underlying conduct occurred -- disputing the characterization of his and Stiegler's conduct rather than defending it as justified or excusable, or conceding any part of it.

Read statementFull case: Did Larry Krasner Pressure Staff to Mislead a Federal Judge About a Murder-Conviction Appeal?

A participant is a subject of the case. A speaker has a statement documented in it. A commentator has an opinion or editorial documented in it.

Topics in this coverage