Pa. Supreme Court ruling curbs Philly district attorney, adds state attorney general oversight

Pa. Supreme Court ruling curbs Philly district attorney, adds state attorney general oversight

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court rebuked progressive Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner in a closely split ruling on Tuesday, saying his office misled a court tasked with reviewing criminal convictions and sentences when it argued in favor of a new trial.

The 4-3 majority opinion took issue with the way the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office approached the cases, faulting the county for perceived issues in a ruling authored by Justice Kevin Dougherty.

"There have been numerous instances of untrustworthy concessions, lack of candor, misrepresentations of fact, lack of adequate investigation, and avoidance of hearings," said Dougherty.

In a two-minute video statement, Krasner asserted that, "Reform can be scary to those who need it."