Justices turn down request to replace Abu-Jamal prosecutors
A divided court denied the request by Maureen Faulkner, the widow of slain Officer Daniel Faulkner, to disqualify the Philly DA's from continuing to work on the matter.
4 years ago
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)
Police widow Maureen Faulkner is trying again to have Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office removed from the latest appeal over her husband’s 1981 traffic stop death.
Faulkner filed a petition Tuesday with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court after losing a similar fight in a lower court.
Longtime death-row activist Mumia Abu-Jamal is now serving a life sentence in Officer Daniel Faulkner’s slaying. But he has a chance at another appeal based on a related U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year.
Krasner says he found potentially damaging evidence about the prosecution’s trial witnesses in newly discovered files. He believes that evidence should be aired in court — but hasn’t said if Abu-Jamal deserves a new trial.
Faulkner wants Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro to take over the appeal. Krasner’s office says it has no comment.