S2 E7: Larry Krasner on Whether His Election as Philadelphia DA Caused a Homicide Spike, His Relationship With Police, Vengeance For Crime Victims and Beating President Trump in 2020

Summary: Larry Krasner is unlike any district attorney Philadelphia has ever seen. He campaigned on reducing mass incarceration and revolutionizing criminal justice. His critics predicted he would never win the job and are furious that he has followed through with his promises. Some believe Krasner's policies have led to a sense of lawlessness across the city. Krasner and I spoke at length in his Center City office about: being "America's most radical district attorney (1:53), if his election has led to a rise in murders in Philadelphia (2:52), how the opioid epidemic has contributed to violent crime (4:43), how the nation's "deadliest DA" Lynne Abraham is so different from Krasner, a DA who is trying to get the death penalty off the books (6:50), if he believes the last man to be executed in Pennsylvania, Gary Heidnik, deserved execution (8:45), if his opposition to capital punishment is about fairness or morality (9:58), his ongoing battle with Philadelphia's Fraternal Order of Police (10:40), if his views and actions discourage police officers from doing their jobs (13:28), if he has allowed too many criminals out of prison and hasn't put enough in (14:50), if he would have still won the election without the George Soros donation to a PAC supporting his candidacy (16:14), if his lack of prosecuting experience led to a learning curve in office (18:27), if he believes Police Commissioner Richard Ross called him out after a particularly violent weekend in the city (20:05), the criticism coming from Philadelphia's US Attorney William McSwain (22:12), Krasner's own experience as a crime victim when he was mugged and cut in the face after work (23:58), his views on vengeance for crime victims (26:40), the notion that he cares more about criminal defendants than victims of crime (27:00), his experiences and views on social media (29:06), if he has ambitions beyond district attorney (30:15), why Philadelphia is so much more violent, per capita, than New York City (30:44), how the Democrats can beat President Trump in 2020 (32:32), what keeps him up at night (33:50) and the best thing Philadelphia has going right now (35:33). Recorded in Krasner's office in Center City on July 16, 2019.