Not good news for the "City of Brotherly Love"...

An article I read last year (and I've been meaning to blog on) shows how there is a new class of district attorney's out there, former defense lawyers, not tied to the "old ways" of doing things. Not looking at using capital punishment, or "excessive" bonds, etc. I would point out the new DAs listed in that article likely were put in when minority voters went out in November 2016 and voted a straight Democratic ticket against Donald Trump.

Well, got more news from the formerly great North East. We have another new district attorney who is making his intentions clear.

New Philadelphia DA fires 31 lawyers in office

The Philadelphia Inquirer

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner fired 31 staff members in the office, a dramatic shake-up and the first major staffing decision announced by the city's new top prosecutor, just three days after he was sworn in.

Krasner's spokesman, Ben Waxman, said the dismissals Friday were part of a "broad reorganization" of the office's structure and a way to implement a culture change in an institution Krasner frequently criticized during the campaign.

In seeking their resignations, the new district attorney "thanks them for their service to the city," Waxman said in a statement. "However, he made clear his intention to take the office in a different direction."

The sweeping change affected lawyers of all ranks and could represent a 10 percent reduction in the number of prosecutors. Names were not released, but current and former employees - none authorized to publicly discuss the firings - said the group included trial attorneys and some supervisor-level staff, many with decades of experience. As many as a third of the office's homicide prosecutors were told to leave, sources said....

In a city of 1.5 million, where there were 317 murders in 2017, one of the DAs first acts is to reduce size and experience level of his homicide prosecutors. New York City, with a population of 8.5 million, had 290.

"...The announcement was the first bombshell in what some of his supporters have hoped - and his critics have feared - would be a wave of drastic changes accompanying the installation of the career civil rights lawyer to the city's top law enforcement job.

During his campaign, Krasner pledged to reduce the number of people behind bars, never seek the death penalty, and seek to end use of cash bail - goals that were praised by fellow Democrats and liberal criminal justice observers, but met with skepticism or even scorn from other law enforcement officials. After his victory, Krasner reiterated his priorities but downplayed concerns about a possible exodus or mass purging of staff..

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And it shows. Now this is chickens%^&!

...Some of those let go, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss their termination, said they were told Friday morning to come to the office as soon as possible. When they arrived, they said, they were escorted by the office's detectives as they learned their fate - often without explanation - and cleaned out their desks. Several left in tears.

Andrew Notaristefano, a homicide prosecutor and district attorney's office employee for more than a decade, said he had a homicide trial scheduled to start Monday - and that he'd met with the victim's family Thursday night to prepare. He was at his desk working Friday when a human resources employee took him aside and told him he was fired, he said.

Notaristefano, who secured dozens of murder convictions during his career, said he was given "no explanation." He requested to leave after prosecuting his upcoming trial but was told no, he said. His request to speak to Krasner was also denied, he said...

Sorry Mr. Notaristefano, the new boss gotta get his people in now.

"...Michael Barry, deputy of the pretrial division, confirmed that he was asked to resign, with his last day next Friday. James Carpenter, chief of the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit for the past six years, said he would also leave that day.

Derek Riker, chief of the Diversion Courts Unit for the last five years, said he was shocked to be let go because "I consider myself one of the progressive people in the office," responsible for cases that involve alternative treatment and programs instead of incarceration - the types of ideals Krasner campaigned to expand.

Gwenn Cujdik, a homicide prosecutor, asked what would happen if she didn't resign as requested. She said she was told she would be fired on Monday.

"A lot of us stayed because we were willing to stay and willing to work for (Krasner) and continue to do what we do," Cujdik said..."

I think you'll do better staying away from the SAS.

"...Lt. Philip Riehl of the Philadelphia Police Department's Homicide Unit said: 'These career prosecutors were dismissed in a classless and callous manner.. The entire system lost today.'"

In his statement, Krasner's spokesman said the new district attorney 'was given a clear mandate from the voters for transformational change. Today's actions are necessary to achieve that agenda.'"

Voters of Philadelphia, you will reap what you've sown. Last year I wrote an article for American Thinker, explaining how cops, when threatened by their political bosses, will simply "Go Galt." A cop will sign on, answer calls for service, but otherwise not do anything self initiated. They got careers, families, pensions, etc, to protect. And seeing how the new Philli DA is looking at his office, all I can say to the cops in Philadelphia is watch your back.