Terrified Larry Krasner Tries To Hide From Reporter

Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore came to the podium to answer questions about a recent murder case. When she was finished another reporter piped up and asked while she was there if she could answer a question about another case.

She dutifully replied, so I figured why not try the same routine.

"What can you tell us about Derrick Jones," I asked.

For a moment, ADA Pescatore, who was in the process of leaving the podium, hesitated, and seemed prepared to respond to my question.

Then, like the proverbial deer in the headlights, ADA Pescatore glanced at me, and with a frightened look she scurried to the back of the room while a tense Krasner and another ADA looked on. 

Here's what I wanted to ask the D.A. about Derrick Jones.

When Jones was arrested at age 18 on three gun charges, he was already on juvenile probation after being found to be an adjudicated delinquent, the equivalent of guilty, in two cases that had Jones been an adult, would have been the equivalent of felonies.

When he was arrested as an adult on the three gun charges, because he already had a rap sheet, Jones was facing a minimum sentence under the sentencing guidelines promulgated by the state Legislature of three to six years in jail.

Instead, in 2019 Krasner's office gave Jones a sentence of 11 1/2 months to 23 months in jail. But after he served the minimum of 11 1/2 months, the D.A.'s office let Jones serve the rest of his sentence on house arrest.

According to the cops, Jones, on probation as an adult, then used his freedom to ride SEPTA buses and trains, to stalk and execute three young men over a two-week period. When a SWAT team raided Jones's house and arrested him, he was packing a 45 caliber Glock 21 pistol with an extended magazine and 31 live rounds, plus an additional 76 live rounds.

"The motive is unknown," Homicide Captain Jason Smith told reporters. "That is the burning question. Why why did Mr. Jones murder in cold blood three males? . . . "This is a total random act of violence."

It was also a total random act of violence that according to our D.A. doesn't happen all that often.

But at the press conference, it was obvious Krasner had no intention of calling upon me. So I decided to interrupt him again.

"Derrick Jones," I said to Krasner. "Why did you give him a sweetheart deal?"

This is when the Philly D.A. decided to get tough and actually threaten me in front of a roomful of reporters.

"Sir, sir, please," Krasner said. Then came the threat.

"Mr. Cipriano, if you're gonna disturb the proceedings, we're gonna have to do something about it."

Then he returned to give KYW's Kristen Johanson another chance to ask another question.

"Miss Johanson, did you have any other questions?" the D.A. asked. 

By this time, Krasner had reached my side of the room but he was glancing at his watch and seemed to be running out of time.

"Miss Johanson, is there anything else?" he asked. 

But she was finally done. So Krasner turned his attention to the rest of the reporters in the room.

"Ok, are there any questions?" he asked.

"Derrick Jones," I asked one last time. "Why'd you give him a sweetheart sentence?"

But Krasner was still hiding from me.

"Excuse me, are there any other questions?" he asked.

 "Thank you," he said, without looking my way. And then he ended the press conference.

I followed him and his security detail out the door.

"Mr. Krasner," I asked. "What are you afraid of?"

But once again, Krasner wouldn't answer. Before he got into his black Ford Crown Vic, however, Krasner took plenty of time to answer questions from other reporters who followed him out the door.

I asked one reporter I knew what was wrong with our D.A., running away from some blogger.

"He's afraid of you," the reporter said. "He knows we all read you."