Supreme Court Catches Krasner’s Office Misleading Judges

Blindfolded Lady Justice statue holding scales behind bars.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court just blasted Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office for misleading judges — and now the state’s top law enforcement officials must review every case where Krasner tried to throw out old murder convictions.

Story Snapshot

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court found that Krasner’s office misled judges while trying to vacate old murder convictions, ordering oversight by the state attorney general’s office.
Separately, the court struck down mandatory life-without-parole sentences for second-degree murder, a ruling that could affect more than 1,100 prisoners statewide.
Krasner now supports House Bill 443, which would make convicted killers eligible for parole after 25 years — including roughly 500 from Philadelphia alone.
Krasner’s impeachment case was dismissed on a technicality in 2022, leaving serious allegations of false statements to courts unresolved.

Supreme Court Catches Krasner’s Office Misleading Judges

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court used its King’s Bench power — reserved for urgent matters of public importance — to step in and order oversight of Krasner’s office. The court found that Krasner’s team misled judges when pushing to throw out old murder convictions. Going forward, the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office must review all such attempts before they move ahead. This is a serious rebuke of a sitting district attorney by the state’s highest court.

This is not the first time Krasner has run into legal walls. In a separate case, a divided 4-3 Commonwealth Court rejected his argument that Act 40 — a law assigning certain transit-area crimes to a special prosecutor — violated the state Constitution. Republicans passed the law because many felt Krasner was not enforcing the law aggressively enough near public transit. Krasner lost that fight too.

Court Strikes Down Mandatory Life Sentences for Murder Convictions

On March 26, 2026, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for second-degree murder — also called felony murder — violate the state Constitution’s ban on cruel punishment. Chief Justice Debra Todd wrote that forcing the same life sentence on every person convicted, whether they pulled the trigger or just drove the getaway car, is disproportionate. The court gave the state legislature 120 days to pass a fix.

Second-degree murder covers killings that happen during the course of another felony, even if the defendant did not plan or intend to kill anyone. Under the old law, a lookout standing outside during a robbery that turned deadly received the same mandatory life sentence as the shooter. The court said that one-size-fits-all approach goes too far. Life sentences will still be possible, but judges must now weigh each case individually.

Krasner Pushes to Free Over 1,100 Convicted Killers

Krasner quickly jumped on the ruling. He announced support for House Bill 443, which would let people serving life for second-degree murder apply for parole after 25 years. More than 1,100 people statewide currently serve those sentences, including about 500 from Philadelphia alone. Krasner called the old sentencing law “unconstitutional, affecting hundreds of lifers.” The court’s ruling did not settle whether it applies retroactively to those already sentenced.

This is a split decision, but shows that the presumption of regulatory for Soros-funded radical leftwing DA Krasner is gone. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has had enough. It needs someone to "enhance the reliability" of proceedings. Yikes!

— Eric W. (@EWess92) June 16, 2026

The retroactivity question is a big one. The court left that decision to the legislature. Some defense attorneys believe the ruling will apply to old cases and that hearings will follow. If it does apply retroactively, Pennsylvania could face the largest resentencing effort in state history. Conservatives in the legislature are pushing back, arguing that public safety must come first and that victims’ families deserve finality — not repeated court battles over sentences already handed down.

A Pattern of Overreach With No Accountability

Krasner has a long record of pushing the limits of his office. His team asked the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to declare the entire death penalty system unconstitutional. His office reportedly took steps to overturn more than one-third of Philadelphia’s death sentences. In 2022, the Pennsylvania House passed articles of impeachment against him, based largely on allegations that he made false statements to courts. The Supreme Court dismissed the case on a technicality — not on the merits — leaving those serious allegations unresolved.

Philadelphia voters keep re-electing Krasner, but the courts keep pushing back. The city’s murder rate soared during his tenure, and critics argue his approach puts criminals ahead of victims. Now the state’s highest court has found his office actively misled judges. Conservatives across Pennsylvania are watching to see whether the legislature will use its 120-day window to pass a sentencing fix that protects public safety — or hand Krasner and prosecutors like him a new tool to empty the prisons.