Rep. Craig Williams, chairman of the House impeachment managers, announced that an appeal has been filed in the state Supreme Court regarding the impeachment trial of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. The appeal challenges a Commonwealth Court ruling that found no misbehavior in office by Krasner as alleged in the Articles of Impeachment.
“We have appealed the Commonwealth Court ruling concluding there was no misbehavior in office by DA Krasner as alleged in the Articles of Impeachment. Our brief sets out a thorough dismantling of that position,” Williams stated. He criticized the lower court for its use of ethics rules to assess Krasner’s conduct and argued that these actions could be considered criminal.
Williams highlighted Pennsylvania’s official oppression statute, which makes it a crime for public officials to knowingly deprive others of their legal rights. “The articles are replete with instances where DA Krasner used his office to do exactly that,” he said, citing cases involving police officers and crime victims.
The appeal emphasizes issues related to Police Officer Robert Pownall’s case, where courts reprimanded Krasner’s office. It is alleged that the District Attorney’s Office failed to provide proper legal instructions and withheld critical information from grand jurors regarding Officer Pownall’s justification defense.
Further allegations include providing incorrect case law and withholding an expert report justifying Officer Pownall’s use of deadly force. These actions reportedly resulted in prejudice against Officer Pownall and violated his due process rights.
“As properly alleged, District Attorney Krasner and his office knowingly made false statements to the courts,” Williams asserted. He expressed readiness to prove these allegations at trial if required by the Supreme Court.
Contact information for Representative Craig Williams was provided for further inquiries.
