The Justice Department has sent grand jury subpoenas to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office in recent days, according to two sources briefed on the matter who spoke to Fox News.
The sources said the subpoenas concern potential obstruction of justice tied to how Krasner’s office handled cases before federal judges, and that they follow a federal judge’s referral of Krasner and his top deputy to the DOJ for possible criminal investigation.
Krasner’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the DOJ declined to comment.
The subpoenas arrive more than a month after U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond referred Krasner and his deputy, Matthew Stiegler, to the Justice Department, writing that evidence uncovered during review of a murder conviction case could amount to false statements, perjury, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. Neither man has been charged with a crime.
Diamond also disqualified Krasner and Stiegler from the underlying case, though he stopped short of disqualifying the entire district attorney’s office.
According to the judge, Krasner and Stiegler sought to pressure prosecutors into presenting a false narrative to the court, and Krasner warned of “consequences” if staff alerted the court to an internal conflict of interest.
“I have thus reluctantly concluded that Philadelphia’s highest law enforcement official and one of his top assistants may have violated the law,” Diamond wrote.
The underlying case
The dispute traces back to the case of Dennis Johnson, who was convicted in 2009 of killing Kenyatta Smith. In a 2022 filing, Krasner’s office said Johnson was entitled to habeas relief on grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel, according to The Associated Press.
Prosecutors later flagged potential conflicts involving Stiegler and recommended the matter be handed to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office instead. According to Diamond’s opinion, Krasner opposed that referral and repeatedly insisted someone from his own office remain involved to “protect the office.”
Krasner has pushed back on the judge’s findings. “I respectfully and vigorously disagree with the court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law,” he said in a statement at the time. “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.”
This is a developing story.
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