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| D.A. [center] and entourage |
for BigTrial.net
A common criticism of elites is that they typically don't ever have to suffer the consequences of their own beliefs and policies.
For District Attorney Larry Krasner, it was a close call this afternoon as he almost had to face the deadly consequences of his radical policies that both the mayor and police commissioner have blamed for escalating gun violence and a record murder rate.
Krasner was politicking this afternoon on the 600 block of Clementine Street in North Philly, with several police officers and bodyguards in tow, when a few blocks away, a gun battle erupted.
"He ran like the bitch he is and got out of Dodge," Stinky Feat, a frequent Krasner critic, reported on Twitter. Stinky added a smiley clown face to his tweet, before dissing the D.A. as a "punk."
When the shooting started, police said, and the sounds of bullets echoed around the densely packed rowhouse neighborhood, Krasner bolted like it was the Penn Relays. His bodyguards joined the race, tossing the district attorney into a car that sped away from the crime scene.
Meanwhile, a half-mile away from where the D.A. was politicking, on the 700 block of East Madison Street, a black male was shot four times in the head. He was transported to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead as the city's 113th murder victim this year. Police reported a firearm was recovered by the scene, but no arrests were made.
At a March 31st press conference, both Mayor Jim Kenney and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw blamed Krasner's turnstile style of justice for the recent surge in gun violence. Both the mayor and police commissioner charged the D.A. was giving too many free passes to criminals arrested for illegally carrying guns.
"We are calling on the district attorney to vigorously enforce all firearms charges during this time of crisis," Kenney said. "It is imperative that he [Krasner] send a clear message that gun violence will not be taken lightly. This is a message the D.A. can reinforce in his office's handling of all such cases going forward. There needs to be some consequences for carrying an illegal gun in Philadelphia."
"There has to be teeth, there has to be consequences" to illegally carrying a gun in the city, echoed the police commissioner. "We can't see a revolving door." Especially when there's been "a spike in shootings."As of Monday, homicides in Philadelphia were up 10.6 percent, from 94 this time last year to 104 this year. Since Monday, nine more people have been murdered, for a grand total of 113 homicides so far this year, a record pace.
As of Monday, the cops reported that gunpoint robberies were up 12.7 percent, from 518 this time last year to 584 this year.
Aggravated assaults by handgun were up 23.5 percent, from 614 this time last year to 758 this year. Shooting incidents where nobody was hit but shots were fired were up 70.7 percent, from 416 at this time last year to 710 this year. And the number of people shot by guns is up 15.8 percent, from 342 at this time last year to 396 this year.
The consequences of Krasner's deadly policies show up every day on the police blotter.
For example, on Monday night, a couple of drug dealers recently emancipated by Krasner happened to run into each other on the 1400 block of West Girard Avenue.
One of the drug dealers fired a total of 13 9 mm shots at the other drug dealer as he was walking out of a store.
Police arrested Martin Walker, a 41-year-old black male from Brewerytown, who had just been released from prison on March 23rd. He allegedly shot Mark Johnson, a 35 year-old black male from North Philadelphia, three times in the leg. Johnson was most recently released from jail on Feb. 1, 2019.
According to a seasoned former prosecutor who reviewed the court records of the suspect and the alleged victim, both of these guys should not have been out on the street.
"These shootings are drug related," the former prosecutor said. "Larry's not putting drug dealers in jail anymore. It's supply and demand. There's only a limited number of customers out there so they [the drug dealers] are fighting for turf because it's so lucrative."
On Monday, according to police, Johnson walked out on the street and heard somebody say something to him. He turned around and Walker started shooting. "He ran and fell in the street where he was picked up by an unknown male."
Police interviewed the complainant and a witness. They also recovered a video from a camera nearby. Walker was arrested after police tested Walker's hands and clothing for gunshot residue. At the crime scene, police recovered 13 9 mm fired cartridges. Away from the crime scene, the cops also recovered a 32 caliber revolver.
According to police, Walker shot Johnson three times in the leg. He was driven to the hospital by friends, treated and subsequently released.
Walker has quite a rap sheet, 12 prior arrests for violations of the Uniform Firearms Act, five prior arrests for theft, plus more busts for DUI, a stolen auto, and knowing and intentional possession of drugs. He was on probation until this week's arrest for attempted murder.
Walker's criminal docket is 28 pages long; his secure court summary runs another 12 pages. But in his most recent trial, he beat the rap.
On March 16th, a jury found Walker not guilty of five charges: robbery with a threat to cause immediate serious injury, possession of a prohibited firearm, carrying an unlicensed firearm, carrying a firearm in public, and possession of an instrument of crime. The jury hung on two other charges: theft and receiving stolen property. Two other charges, simple assault and reckless endangerment, were dropped by the D.A.'s office.
The prosecutor in the case, Assistant District Attorney Katherine Reamy, was hired back in November, 2017.
"He [Walker] is so dangerous, based on his record, that a veteran prosecutor should have been prosecuting this case, not a newbie," the seasoned prosecutor said.
For a "newbie" to be trying a major shooting case, the seasoned prosecutor said, "that's unheard of."
But when Krasner became D.A., he fired 31 veteran prosecutors and hired 60 rookies to replace them.
Walker's latest victim is no choir boy. Johnson, police said, has 22 priors for failing to appear in court, and 10 priors for knowing and intentional possession of drugs, five priors for violations of the Uniform Firearms Act, and two prior arrests for assault.
In Johnson's most recent trial, on Sept. 20, 2019, the district attorney's office dismissed for a lack of prosecution a charge of manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, a felony, and possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor. The prosecutor in the case was Jordan King, a 2018 hire who only got around to passing the bar exam last year.
The seasoned prosecutor was equally puzzled by Johnson's case. The most common reason for dismissing a case for lack of prosecution is because a witness didn't show. In a drug case, however, the seasoned prosecutor said, the witnesses typically are the cops who made the arrest. They are usually pretty reliable witnesses when it comes to showing up for court.
But according to police sources, a typical tactic in Krasner's office when he wants to let another criminal out of jail is to not even bother calling the arresting officers as witnesses when the trial rolls around. It makes it much easier for Uncle Larry to let another criminal out of jail.
Also, in 2009, Johnson pleaded guilty to robbery, and possession of an instrument of crime. He was sentenced to four to eight years in prison, and three years probation. As part of the negotiated plea, three firearms charges were dropped.
In 2018, Johnson entered into another negotiated plea where he pleaded guilty to manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver. He was still old probation from his 2009 arrest. But instead of sending Johnson back to jail for violating his parole, the D.A.'s office under Krasner gave Johnson another break -- instead of jail time, just nine months of probation. It was a pretty light sentence, especially since Johnson had repeatedly been cited for failing to appear in court.
But that's what Progressive Larry Krasner is all about, doing favors for criminals. So Johnson went right back on the street. Only this time around, he ran into another newly emancipated criminal, and suddenly, he became a crime victim at the hands of another drug dealer.