for BigTrial.net
When it comes to two-time killers, Larry Krasner, our radical new D.A., has a heart full of mercy.
On Saturday, I published a blog post about how the D.A.'s office decided to drop felony charges against John Kane, a two-time killer who, after running a stop sign, was caught by police with drugs and guns.
Kane was looking at a return trip to the slammer for violating the terms of parole from his most recent murder rap. But Kane had already been found guilty in absentia in the Traffic Division of Municipal Court, and got hit with a $25 traffic ticket for running that stop sign. That prompted our merciful D.A. to apparently decide that Kane had suffered enough with that ticket, and he didn't want to subject the two-time killer to the risk of double jeopardy. So the D.A.'s office promptly decided to drop the felony charges in Common Pleas Court against Kane, and a killer who previously shot two men to death walked out of court a free man.
On Monday, Julie Shaw of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote a story about how the D.A.'s office wants to vacate two-first degree murder convictions for Derrick Ragan, an inmate on Death Row. Krasner wants Ragan to plead guilty to two counts of third-degree murder, so he can get a reduced sentence and be eligible for parole in six years.
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In the case of Derrick Ragan, "It's an extraordinary situation," Assistant District Attorney Paul George told Shaw. The ADA argued that in prison, Ragan has supposedly turned his life around, but a skeptical Shaw wrote that George "offered little proof beyond that firm conviction."
Undaunted, however, George told a judge that except for "two incredibly unfortunate incidents" -- where he cold-bloodedly shot two men to death -- that Ragan's conduct both before and after the shootings "has been exemplary."
Shaw went on to interview relatives of one of Ragan's victims, 22-year-old Darren Brown, whom Ragan executed in 1990 at a playground by standing over him and blasting away with 13 shots. Not surprisingly, Brown's relatives didn't think letting Ragan out of jail was such a good idea.
"By them saying he's changed, how has he changed?" Brown's brother asked Shaw.
What a D.A. we have. He hates cops and prosecutors but he loves killers. Especially two-time killers.
On the positive side, however, we can all be happy that Julie Shaw wrote a story that could be construed as critical of Krasner, and that her editors actually published it. After those same editors apparently killed several stories of Shaw's that may have been too critical of Krasner.
Another amazing development -- Jane Roh, Krasner's spokesperson who refused to talk to me about John Kane, actually gave a full interview to Shaw about the Ragan case.
In the Inquirer story, Roh, a director of communications who is paid $118,150 annually, is quoted as telling Shaw no comment.
But wait, there's one last silver lining to all of this. Shaw's story helped me understand why Krasner let two-time killer John Kane walk.
According to Larry's logic, maybe Kane, who spent a couple of decades in jail after shooting two men to death, is another "extraordinary situation," another guy who behind bars, was able to turn his life around.
Maybe besides "two incredibly unfortunate incidents" where he shot two men to death, Kane's conduct also "has been exemplary." After all, when Kane was in prison, he didn't shoot anybody else to death.
In the crazy world of Larry Krasner, where cops are evil, but two-time convicted killers can warm our hearts by turning their lives around, it all makes sense.
Ok, Comrade Krasner, now I understand. Carry on with the revolution!