Apocalypse Philly: A Deadly D.A., Cowardly Mayor & Lightweight P.C.

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

In this apocalyptic year, the citizens of Philadelphia had to endure riots, a pandemic, and a record number of murders. 

They also had to put up with incompetent and corrupt leadership from a trio of top city officials. We're talking about our "reform" district attorney whose radical policies have repeatedly proved to be deadly. Next, there's our lying, cowardly but politically correct mayor who repeatedly refused to defend his city. And finally, we have the mayor's "diverse" new police commissioner, who turned out to be a real lightweight.

Cranking out an average of three stories a week, many of them scoops, Big Trial was the only local media outlet to rise to the occasion, and hold our public officials accountable throughout the year by documenting their lies, incompetence, and corruption.

It's a full-time job, but here in Philadelphia, official incompetence and corruption have deadly consequences. We're up to 498 murders for 2020, the highest number in 30 years. 

As far as our corrupt city officials are concerned, let's start with District Attorney Larry Krasner. This man, bought and paid for with $1.7 million of billionaire George Soros's money, is a walking, talking perversion of what a district attorney should be.

29

D.A. Seeks To Free Mumia, Even Though He Knows He's Guilty

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

The state Supreme Court has put District Attorney Larry Krasner on notice that if there are any further appeals in the case of celebrity cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal, Krasner shouldn't stay on as prosecutor.

That's because of the appearance of several conflicts of interest in the D.A.'s office, state Supreme Court justices say, as well as other "disturbing" and "outrageous" goings-on under Krasner's reign. 

These critical statements from two state Supreme Court justices were released yesterday to accompany a one-page order where the state's highest court dismissed a King's Bench petition filed by Maureen Faulkner, widow of Police Officer Danny Faulkner. The widow was attempting to get the state Supreme Court to disbar Krasner as prosecutor in the endless, ongoing appeals of Mumia's 1982 conviction for her husband's murder.

The one-page order from the state Supreme Court been portrayed in the media as a defeat for Faulkner. But both a concurring and a dissenting statement issued by two state Supreme Court justices not only criticized Krasner for having the appearance of several conflicts of interest in the Mumia case, as well as being ignorant of the law.

But one of those state Supreme Court statements also contained a startling admission under oath by Krasner --- that although he's been working to aid Mumia's release, the D.A. knows Mumia is guilty.

7

Carlos Vega: D.A. Krasner 'Bought & Paid For' By 'Rich Elite'

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

Standing in front of the District Attorney's office, Carlos Vega, a former homicide prosecutor, announced he would run for D.A., and be an advocate for crime victims.

As a homicide prosecutor for 30 years, Vega said, "I have seen mothers and they have come to me and they say, 'Carlos, they killed my baby. They took him away.' "

Vega recalled what he used to tell those moms. "I said, 'You're my family, I'll fight for you, I'll be your voice.' "

"This city deserves a district attorney who is a voice for the victims," he said. But that's not what we have in Larry Krasner, who, as D.A., has been an  advocate for criminals. And a tool of the progressive elite. 

"We have a district attorney now that is bought and paid for by the rich elite, the millionaire elite who have this special agenda," Vega said. "They don't even live here," he said, but they're "telling us how to run this city."

4

Inquirer Lap Dogs Give D.A. A Pass As City Hits 470 Murders

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

On Sunday, five Philadelphia Inquirer reporters devoted a total of 3,568 words to the topic of the city's epidemic of unsolved shootings and murders. 

But not once during that long, dull and entirely predictable story, did anybody at the Inquirer attempt to hold District Attorney Larry Krasner accountable for his culpability in the ongoing carnage. 

As documented on Big Trial, Krasner's permissive policies are responsible for putting more armed and dangerous criminals back on the streets, where they commit more crimes, including shootings and murders. It's no coincidence that Krasner's third year in office coincides with the highest number of shootings ever in Philadelphia, and the highest number of murders in 30 years.

5

500 Cops Out With COVID; Murder Rate Hits 469; Where's The P.C.?

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

In Philadelphia, sources say, more than 500 cops are out sick with the COVID-19 virus.

Meanwhile, the murder rate has soared to 469, the highest number in 30 years. 

And where's our mayor? He's been busy crushing individual liberty by closing indoor dining, bars and gyms in Philadelphia, and canceling the Mummers parade, but Mayor Kenney has remained silent about sick cops and the record murder rate. 

So has the City Council, where four left-wing rookies last month were busy advocating defunding the police. And where's our police commissioner?

People started wondering about the whereabouts of rookie Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw on Thursday, when U.S. Attorney William McSwain held a press conference outside the federal courthouse to announce the feds were taking over from our traitorous district attorney the prosecution of four gang members responsible for the murder of a hero cop, Corporal James O'Connor. 

Outlaw, however, was noticeably absent from that press conference that took place less than a block away from her office. Instead, she sent First Deputy Police Commissioner Melvin Singleton.

The rumor mill says our low profile P.C., who just got back last month after a Covid self-quarantine, is out on the West Coast for a few weeks dealing with personal matters. 

In the Progressive Democratic utopia of Philadelphia, this is what passes for leadership.

6

Finally, An Alternative To 'Let-Em-Loose Larry;' Carlos Vega, Career Homicide Prosecutor, Announces He's Running For Philly D.A.

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

Attention, long suffering citizens of Philadelphia: We finally have an alternative to our current district attorney who caters to criminals, and doesn't give a damn about crime victims.

He's Carlos Vega, 64, a career homicide prosecutor in the D.A.'s office who, over a 35-year career, tried nearly 450 homicide cases, and lost only 14.

Next Wednesday at 11 a.m., Vega will be holding a press conference outside the D.A.'s office at 3 South Penn Square to announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for district attorney.

Vega will be opposing incumbent D.A. Larry Krasner, the George Soros-financed radical whose alleged "reforms" of the criminal justice system have been a disaster for Philadelphia, as witnessed this year by a record murder rate, and a record number of shootings.

As a career homicide prosecutor, Vega said, he was in the courtroom every day, acting as the champion for murder victims "who are never heard, who have no voice."

"I am here to represent the victims," Vega said. "I've always been the voice for the victims." Watching the murder and shooting rates escalate to historic levels, Vega says, he decided as a career prosecutor, as well as a parent, that "I can't sit by and let this happen to my city."

7

U.S. Attorney Blasts D.A. As Responsible For Hero Cop's Murder

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

In a hard-hitting 20-minute press conference this afternoon, U.S. Attorney William McSwain hammered District Attorney Larry Krasner for his "pro-violent defendant policies," which McSwain said were as responsible for the murder of hero cop James O'Connor, as the drug dealer who fired the fatal shot.

With O'Connor's widow, Terri, and police officer son James Jr. standing by his side, McSwain announced a seven-count federal indictment that charged four gang members with murder, conspiracy, and drug dealing. McSwain also announced that according to his office's special findings, Hassan Elliott, O'Connor's killer, was now eligible for the death penalty, something that pro-criminal Larry Krasner would never seek.

McSwain then issued an extraordinary denunciation of the D.A., and called on him to voluntarily step aside, drop his "investigation" of O'Connor's murder, and let the feds take over the case.

 "Hassan Elliott never should have been on the street in the first place," McSwain said. "He should have been in jail. The only reason he was out of jail was because of the pro-violent defendant polices of the Philadelphia District Attorney, Larry Krasner."

2

In U.S. Supreme Court Election Case, Texas Trashes Pennsylvania

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net  

In case you missed it, the state attorney general of Texas has filed a lawsuit asking the U.S. Supreme Court to declare as unconstitutional the presidential elections held in four battleground states, led by Pennsylvania, because of "rampant lawlessness" in the way those states conducted mail-in voting. 

The gist of the lawsuit is that although the U.S. Constitution gives "plenary" or absolute authority to the state legislatures regarding the appointment of presidential electors, in the four battleground states, elected officials and judges, mostly loyal Democrats, did end runs around the state legislatures, state law, as well as the U.S. Constitution, in illegally blowing out one ballot safeguard after another. 

Leading the way, according to the lawsuit, was "out of control" Pennsylvania, where on Nov. 2nd, the state reported sending out 2.7 million mail ballots, and just two days later, said oops, sorry, the number of ballots we sent out was actually 3.1 million.

9

D.A.'s 'Graduates' Get Out Of Jail, Commit Murder & Mayhem

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

When it comes to prosecuting gun crimes, the "progressive" policies of District Attorney Larry Krasner have resulted in putting more armed and dangerous criminals right back on the streets, so they can commit more crimes. 

To document the disastrous effects of Krasner's policies, Big Trial has been tracking the voyage through the criminal justice system of 231 defendants arrested for gun crimes in just one month, July of 2019.

Court records show that of the 231 defendants charged in July of 2019 with a gun crime, technically known as a Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act [VUFA], 73, or 32%, got a free ticket out of jail after the charges against them were either dropped, dismissed or lost by the D.A.'s office. 

Of the remaining defendants, only 45, or 19% out of the original 231 wound up pleading guilty, but the guilty pleas didn't amount to much jail time, because every convicted criminal got a deal from their "Uncle Larry." How good of a deal? Well, out of the 45 defendants who pleaded guilty, 40 got lenient county jail terms well below state sentencing guidelines. Those county sentences included immediate parole, early parole, house arrest, and probation; or the defendants were out on bail because they hadn't been sentenced yet.

The grand result of Krasner's policies -- more armed and dangerous criminals out on the streets, where they can commit more mayhem and murder. As of Nov. 1st, just 16 months after they were originally arrested for gun crimes, a total of 176 defendants out of the original 231, or 76%, were already out of jail, and free to commit more crimes.

And how many of these criminal defendants took advantage of that opportunity? Out of those original 231 defendants from the class of July 2019, court records show, 51 or 22%, of the "graduates" of Krasner's lax prosecution of gun crimes were arrested again and charged with crimes that included gunpoint robberies, armed carjackings, rape, attempted murder, as well as a half-dozen murders.

8

The Intellectual Dishonesty Of The Philadelphia Inquirer

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

On Nov. 23rd, Big Trial ran a story about how Philabundance, the local food bank, got scammed out of $923,553.

On July 30th, according to the cops, Loree Jones, the nonprofit's newly-appointed CEO, came into the 1st Police District "visibly upset," because "her email was hacked." She told the cops that somehow, she had been convinced to wire $923,553 from Philabundance's Citizens Bank account to a JPMorgan account, which she subsequently learned was bogus.

Jones, according to the cops, was "very upset, agitated and rude. Clearly she knew she messed up big time." The case was transferred to the fraud division of the Philadelphia Police Department's Major Crimes Unit and the FBI is also investigating.

This morning, the Inquirer ran their version of the story, which you can read if you have a subscription; I cancelled mine last month. Not only did the paper of record fail to credit Big Trial for breaking the story, which is standard journalistic practice, but they also ran what amounts to a sanitized press release for Philabundance that totally absolves Jones and her nonprofit of any blame for the missing cash. 

The Inky story, unlike the Big Trial account, didn't include any critical commentary from cops. It was also totally devoid of any skepticism of Jones' account of what happened, an omission immediately flagged by readers. 

So not only does the Inquirer flack full-time for Mayor Jim Kenney, District Attorney Larry Krasner, and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, but now they're covering for Philabundance. 

6

As Philly Hits 450 Murders, New Outlaw Chief Promotes Family Feud

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

Over a bloody 48-hour period that included Thanksgiving, Philadelphia had 20 shootings, including 9 murders. 

The city's body count now stands at 450 homicides, the highest in 30 years.

With a month to go, at its current pace, the city could break its all-time record of 497 homicides set back in 1990. This year's homicide count represents a nearly 40 percent jump over last year, when there were only 356 murders.

Philadelphia's number of homicides is higher than that of New York City, which has five times the population, and only 416 murders so far this year. Philadelphia's homicide count is also higher than that of Los Angeles, which has 2 1/2 times the population of Philadelphia, but only 300 murders. The honor of having the highest homicide count in the country, however, still belongs to Chicago, which has more than 1 million more residents than Philadelphia, and a grand total of 716 murders so far this year. 

Meanwhile, with all the dead bodies piling up in Philadelphia, what was newly promoted Chief Inspector Altovise Love-Craighead concerned about? The leader of the Police Department's Community Relations Bureau sent out an email to more than 7,500 sworn officers and civilian personnel, advertising an upcoming "Audition for Family Feud! You could win up to $100,000 and a brand new car!"

"It was embarrassing to say the least," one senior commander said. "The entire department is laughing."

5

Forensic Destruction At The Delaware County Bureau Of Elections

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

The Delaware County Bureau of Elections is now at the center of a national controversy over allegations of voter fraud in the presidential election.

On Wednesday, Gregory Stenstrom, who identified himself as a Navy veteran, forensic computer scientist and GOP poll watcher, made national headlines when he told a Pennsylvania state Senate hearing in Gettysburg that the entire election process in Delaware County was "forensically destructive."

"In all cases the chain of custody was broken,"  Stenstrom said. "It was broken for the mail in ballots, the drop box ballots, the election day USB card flash drives."

As a result, Stenstrom testified, he believed it was "impossible to verify the validity of about 100,000 to 120,000 votes" of the total of 330,000 votes cast by Delaware County residents.

Stenstrom's testimony echoes complaints in two written statements from poll watchers obtained by Big Trial that outlined numerous breakdowns in the chain of custody as ballots made their way from the 428 registered polling places in Delaware County to the Bureau of Elections. 

It's a story of Election Day chaos, corralled poll watchers, suspicious goings on, and one security lapse after another. The story ends with reluctance on the part of Trump's lawyers to go forward with their own case, before a judge threw that case out of court. Then, the state of Pennsylvania certified the election results, and an alleged victory for Joe Biden.   

15

Philly D.A. Rolled Out Red Carpet For Accused Serial Rapist

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

He's a dreadlocked former Boston prosecutor and charismatic advocate for criminal justice reform who became a rock star after a 2016 TED talk that got nearly three million views. Now he commands up to $20,000 for a live speaking engagement.

So in February, 2018, when Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner was kicking off his criminal justice revolution in Philadelphia, he invited Adam Foss to town to meet with his staff of young, eager and impressionable progressive prosecutors. Then, in September, 2018, Krasner brought back Foss in a bigger way, hiring Foss and his  nonprofit to lead a nine-week training session for new ADAs. 

Now, Adam Foss is under a criminal investigation announced by the county D.A.'s office in Boston where he used to work, after he was publicly accused by several women of being a serial predator and rapist who's knowingly spreading STDs. 

In Boston, the authorities are hot on Foss's tail. "I am aware of and troubled by the allegations that a former [Suffolk County District Attorney's Office] employee engaged in behavior that either was inappropriate, an abuse of his authority, unethical or illegal," declared Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins. "Every allegation will be investigated thoroughly."

But meanwhile, in Philadelphia, D.A. Krasner isn't talking about how much he paid Foss. Or whether he's launched an investigation to see if any of his impressionable young female staffers were abused and/or infected by Foss, when he was here in town, training prosecutors.  

6

Philabundance CEO Scammed Out Of $923,553

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

On July 30th, Loree Jones, the newly-appointed CEO of Philabundance, came into the 1st Police District, and according to the cops, she was "visibly upset." For a good reason.

Jones told the cops "her email was hacked," and that somehow, she had been convinced to wire $923,553 from Philabundance's Citizens Bank account to a JPMorgan account that she subsequently learned was bogus.

Jones, according to the cops, was "very upset, agitated and rude. Clearly she knew she messed up big time." The case was subsequently transferred to the fraud division of the Major Crimes Unit. And as of last Friday, "We have no updated/further information at this time," said Police Officer Eric McLaurin of the Police Department's Office of Media Relations/Public Affairs."

A spokesperson for Philabundance took issue with the police report, saying that Jones's email "was not hacked," she "did not wire the money" and she was not "visibly upset" when she showed up at the 1st Police District. The spokesperson then released this statement:

"This past summer, Philabundnance was the victim of cyber theft. We have conducted an internal investigation and are collaborating with the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department in an attempt to identify the perpetrator(s) of this crime."

"The wire fraud was a one-time event and involved a loss of $923,553. While this is a considerable sum of money, we have appropriate insurance coverage and sufficient cash reserves to ensure that there is no disruption of our day-to-day activities due to this crime."

4

City Officials Blame Faulty Algorithm For Dead People Voting

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

For the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to get a straight answer out of City Hall about why voting records stored in an official city database showed that a parade of 22 dead people, led by Smokin' Joe Frazier, voted in past city elections. 

First, I tried emailing all three members of the Board of Elections, especially Al Schmidt, a Republican who briefly became a star on CNN by proclaiming the sanctity of the vote count in Philadelphia for the presidential election. But neither Schmidt nor his Democratic colleagues on the board ever responded.  

On Sunday, a day after the city abruptly shut down that database, I finally got a dialogue going with Kevin Feeley, who had defended Philly election officials in an interview with snopes.com. Feeley's a PR guy who formerly flacked for Ed Rendell and the Democratic National Committee. According to the website for his PR firm, he specializes in "issue management" and "crisis communications."

That's great, because as far as Big Trial is concerned, records showing 22 dead people voted constitutes a crisis of confidence in city government. But when I sent Feeley a list of follow-up questions, Feeley was benched, and replaced by Andrew Richman, chief of staff in the city solicitor's office. Richman came forward to float a possibly credible alibi about a dormant database and a faulty algorithm that's been responsible for a flood of false data.

I ran the city's explanation past three computer experts, and they all said that Richman's alibi was plausible, but if true, it amounted to a damning indictment of the city's general incompetence and dysfunction. 

13

Meet The New Boss; Same As The Old Boss

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

In case you missed it, three local media outlets have appointed new bosses.

The Philadelphia Inquirer just named a  new and suitably diverse top editor, Gabriel Escobar, who, unlike the long line of white male bosses who preceded him at the paper of record, was born in Colombia.

Philly Mag just hired its first female editor, Kate Dailey, and its first black editor at large, Ernest Owens.

And Philadelphia Weekly just named Jenny DeHuff as editor of the "brand new PW," a paper that now has a new conservative/contrarian bent.

So with all those big changes, are readers ready for some fresh viewpoints and daring muckraking exposés that are so badly needed in our hopelessly corrupt town? It would be such a refreshing change from the usual drivel and propaganda that the progressive Democratic media serves up, while covering for the progressive Democrats who are running this town into the ground. 

But the short answer is don't hold your breath.

2

City Shuts Down Database That Showed Dead People Voted

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

A funny thing just happened to "Voter Inquiry Menu," the internal city of Philadelphia database that showed  dead people voted.

This morning, without any prior warning, the city abruptly shut it down. City employees who tried to log on to the database found a note across the bottom of their computer screen that said it had been "disabled and cannot be used."

Meanwhile, officials at the Board of Elections, such as Al Schmidt, the GOP elections commissioner who's been called a RINO by President Trump, has plenty of time to do interviews with CNN, where he proclaimed that no dead person voted in Philadelphia. But Schmidt has repeatedly declined, by email and on Twitter, to answer Big Trial's questions about the 22 people who, according to the database compiled by his own office, have voted in prior elections.

As Big Trial has previously reported, city employees who logged into the "Voter Inquiry Menu" database discovered a parade of 22 dead people, led by former heavyweight champ Smokin' Joe Frazier, who miraculously came back to life to vote in past Philly elections from 2015 to 2019. 

Since all the information stored on that "read-only" database emanates directly from the Board of Elections, in corrupt and contented Philadelphia, did the city have to shut it down for some urgently needed "housekeeping?"

17

Man Confesses To Theft Caught On Video; But D.A. Won't Prosecute

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

It was a slam-dunk criminal case, complete with a suspect caught on video, and a confession.

But it wasn't enough for the District Attorney's office to prosecute under Progressive Larry Krasner.

On Oct 8th, cops from the 26th Police District apprehended Joseph Scott after a foot chase. They showed Scott a surveillance video capturing him and an associate trying to steal a catalytic converter. 

Scott waived his Miranda rights and gave a statement saying yes, that was him on the video. He was the guy behind the wheel of a Honda at 5 a.m. on Oct. 4th, who transported Michael Soder to 2600 Coral Street, so Soder could unsuccessfully attempt to cut the catalytic converter off of a 1993 Ford E250 van. The cops charged Scott, 35, of the 2000 block of East Letterly Street, with theft, criminal mischief, and criminal conspiracy. 

Scott had a rap sheet featuring six arrests, including three thefts, two aggravated assaults, and one bust for narcotics. He's also been charged previously with illegally carrying firearms. He was out on bail after being arrested for stealing another catalytic converter just two months earlier, and was due in court on Nov. 18th.

But when Scott's most recent arrest on Oct. 8th went to the district attorney's office for prosecution, Assistant District Attorney Joo Kim declined to prosecute the case, saying there was insufficient evidence.

The cops were furious. But frequently under District Attorney Larry Krasner, this is how the criminal justice system works under Krasner's so-called "reforms." The criminal goes free, the cops get treated like the enemy, and the victim is an afterthought. 

6

Police Commissioner Outlaw In Self-Quarantine

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw announced last night that she's in voluntary self-quarantine and working remotely from home because a co-worker came down with the virus.

"I was informed today that someone in my immediate office has tested positive for COVID-19," she wrote in an email to all personnel at police headquarters. "As a result, I am following all protocols, including self-quarantine and remote work, as advised by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health."

In her email, Outlaw reminds her staff at police headquarters about wearing mandatory facemarks, and said that the department will be sanitizing any offices where employees have tested positive for the virus.

"I want to also use this opportunity as a reminder that all employees of the PPD are required to wear masks at all times. It is important to remember that a face mask is not only intended to protect us from receiving the COVID-19 virus, but also prevents us from unknowingly spreading the disease."

4

If The D.A. Had Done His Job, Walter Wallace Jr. Would Still Be Alive

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

At a press conference last week, District Attorney Larry Krasner claimed he was being transparent by releasing raw body cam video of the police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. 

Krasner also apologized for what he described as the failure of government to protect Wallace, who, according to the Wallace family's lawyer, was suffering a mental health crisis when he was shot dead by the cops.

But Krasner is clearly manipulating what he said was a "devastating" tragedy for his own political purposes, as he pursues a criminal investigation of the two cops who shot Wallace 14 times. 

And the D.A. has been the opposite of transparent when it comes to discussing the failures of his own office to not only protect the Wallace family from Wallace's violent attacks, but also to protect Wallace from himself. 

The bottom line is that if Larry Krasner had done his job when Wallace was arrested for the 17th time on March 3rd, Walter Wallace Jr. would still be alive today. He'd be behind bars, but in jail, he could have sought treatment, as well as medication, for his mental illness. 

8

Feds Launch Criminal Probe Into Alleged Philly Voter Fraud

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

According to federal and local sources, the U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia has launched a criminal probe into multiple allegations of voter fraud here in the city, including Big Trial's own report about dead people voting, like Smokin' Joe Frazier.

The criminal investigation is part of a two-pronged legal approach as Republicans continue to attack the legitimacy of last week's presidential election where the media has unanimously already declared Joe Biden the winner. 

On Saturday, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, President Trump's personal lawyer, announced at a press conference in Philadelphia that he would be filing a civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court, alleging that Republican voters were deprived of their right to a fair count of the vote. 

At the press conference, Giuliani introduced three local Republican poll watchers who said they were prevented from watching the counting of more than 100,000 mail-in ballots at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Despite a court order allowing them in, two of the three poll watchers said, they were never allowed closer than 15 feet.

The third poll watcher, Lisette Tarragon, a longtime city resident and retired attorney, said that when she and other Republican poll watchers tried to get into the Civic Center to watch the count, "I never got past the first identification stage . . .  I felt insidious fraud going on. I felt we were kept from doing our civic duty."

18

Smokin' Joe Frazier Among 22 Dead People Who Still Vote In Philly

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

Smokin' Joe Frazier, the city's most famous boxer, may have died on Nov. 7, 2011. But he still lives on at the polls.

In 2018, according to city records, the former heavyweight champ voted in the general election in his adopted hometown.

On city records that provide a "detailed inquiry" on voters, they got Smokin' Joe's birthdate right, Jan. 12, 1944. In a touch of nostalgia, the records also list Frazier's address as 2917 N. Broad Street. That's the location of the old Smokin' Joe's Gym, the three-story converted brick warehouse where, in the 1970s, Frazier trained for all of three of his championship fights against Muhammed Ali, while living in an apartment on the third floor. 

Frazier leads a parade of 22 dead people, who according to city records gathered by Big Trial, miraculously came back to life to vote in past Philadelphia elections. Others on the list that's been uncovered so far include seven hero cops who died in the line of duty, a murdered community activist, and 11 dead relatives of cops. 

The other celebrities on the list to date is Will Smith's late father, Willard Carroll Smith Sr., who died on Nov. 7, 2016, but still managed to vote in the 2017 and 2018 general elections. 

And Anna Henderson, the oldest living person in Pennsylvania, who died on July 1, 2014, at the ripe old age of 114. But, according to city records, she still managed to vote in the 2017 and 2018 general elections, when she would have been 117 and 118 years old respectively.

Going by the brazenness of these examples, it's a safe bet that there may be more, many more, dead people voting in Philadelphia elections. 

61

In 'Corrupt and Contented' Philadelphia, The Dead Still Vote

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

On Aug. 18, 2012, Police Officer Moses Walker was robbed and shot to death as he was walking to a bus stop after he finished his night shift at the city's 22nd Police District.

But according to city records, death didn't stop Walker from voting in the 2018 general election.

On July 8, 2012, Police Officer Brian Lorenzo was riding his Highway Patrol motorcycle when he was killed by a drunk driver going the wrong way on I-95.

But after he died, according to city records, Lorenzo miraculously voted in the 2016, 2017, and 2018 general elections.

On Sept. 17, 2017, Gerard Grandzol, a community activist, was shot to death in front of his two-year-old daughter during a robbery.

But according to city records, that didn't stop Grandzol from voting in the Nov. 7, 2017 and 2018 general elections.

13

'A Failure Of Leadership'

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

On a day when the National Guard had to be sent in to restore order, all Philadelphia cops on duty were pulling 12 and 16 hours shifts in the wake of rioting and looting over the fatal police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. 

The cops made some 225 arrests during the riots, but the cost was 60 injured officers, the most serious of which was a female sergeant who's still in the hospital after she got hit by a truck and broke her leg.

Besides the wounded officers, 17 police vehicles and two Fire Department Rescue Unit were damaged by rioters. Some 210 businesses were looted and sustained property damage. Across the city, 24 ATM machines were blown up by explosive devices.

In the wake of the latest round of civil unrest, former Mayor John Street made headlines by telling anchorman Ukee Washington of CBS 3 that the blame for the fatal shooting of Wallace rests on a "failure of leadership." Street was talking about Mayor Jim Kenney and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, who told Washington, "It's really easy to sit back and Monday morning quarterback.”

Meanwhile, the city's murder rate continued to climb. Philadelphia had seven shootings and one homicide overnight, and the city is now up to 412 homicides for the year, with a full two months to go. When I talked to a veteran cop about how bad things were, he had one more name to add to the city's list of failed leaders.

"This city is out of control under Jim Kenney, Larry Krasner and Danielle Outlaw," the senior police commander said. "These three are the faces of failed progressive policies."

27

Amid Rioting, Inky Mythologizes Walter Wallace Jr. As 'Family Man'

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

Before he was shot to death Monday by police, a knife-wielding Walter Wallace Jr. had at least three standing protection from abuse orders filed against him, by his mother and the mother of his children.

According to court records detailed in a new report by Mitch Blacher of NBC 10, the cops arrested Wallace in March after he told the mother of  his children, "I'll shoot you and that house up." 

Wallace was charged with making terroristic threats. And he was turned loose after he plunked down a $1,000 deposit on $10,000 bail, while awaiting a trial that was continuously postponed during the pandemic. 

Wallace's lengthy rap sheet includes a 2019 arrest for kicking the windows and door panels of a police vehicle. In 2016, during a robbery, Wallace allegedly grabbed a woman by the neck, and according to the victim, held a gun to her head. In 2013, he violated a protection order filed by his mother by throwing water in her face, punching her in the face, and threatening to shoot her, according to court records shown on air by Blacher and NBC 10.

This is the same guy The Philadelphia Inquirer mythologized today as a "family man" who had "many mental health crises and encounters with police." And it worked. Wallace was a mentally ill career criminal with 17 arrests; an amateur rapper seen on video cavorting with guns that, as a convicted felon, he was barred from possessing, while rapping about "niggers" and "bitches."

And now, thanks to the Inquirer and the rest of the media, in death, Wallace has been elevated to becoming an issue in the final days of the presidential campaign. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, announced yesterday that they reacted "with shock and grief" at the "emotional weight of learning about another Black life in America lost."

24

Amid Riot Over Police Shooting, Philly Hits 400 Murders

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net.

We interrupt the regularly scheduled rioting, looting and political pandering over the fatal police shooting yesterday of Walter Wallace Jr., a 27 year-old black man armed with a knife, for this important announcement -- the city of Philadelphia just hit 400 murders!

Barry Torrance, a 44-year-old black man, was found shot in the head yesterday by his aunt on the 4800 block of Westminster Avenue in West Philadelphia. Ironically, that crime scene was just four blocks away from where the rioting and looting erupted on 52nd Street over the fatal police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr.

Torrance, who subsequently died of his wounds, became Philly's 400th homicide this year. By comparison, as of Oct. 12th, New York City, with more than five times the population of Philadelphia, had only 362 murders. 

In Philadelphia, there have been less than a dozen officer-involved shootings this year, but they sure get a lot of attention, especially when, as was the case yesterday, the victim involved is black, and the officers involved are white. Meanwhile, the city has 400 homicides on the books this year, as well as 132 suspicious deaths that may turn out to be many more homicides. 

A conservative estimate of Philly's homicides this year is that at least 90%, of the victims are black, as are the victims whose deaths have been classified as suspicious. But apparently when it comes to our current toxic brand of racial politics, those hundreds of black lives don't matter. 

So the demonstrators who marched on the police station at 55th and Pine weren't chanting "Say his name" about Barry Torrence, Official Homicide Victim No. 400. No, instead, they were chanting about Walter Wallace Jr., a  career criminal with 18 prior arrests, including five assaults on cops, and domestic abuse cases as recent as this past March, when he stabbed his 25 year-old girlfriend who's the mother of his children.

10

U.S. Attorney Rips Krasner, Inky, Over Killing By D.A.'s Staffer

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

It's day two of the local news media blackout over the latest scandal in the Philly D.A.'s office, involving a gun violence counselor who shot and killed a male prostitute.

And who's trying to expose the ongoing cover up? 

U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain went on Twitter today to rip D.A. Larry Krasner:

"Your Philly DA's office: where Krasner hires an employee who allegedly ends up shooting and killing a man. You can't even make this stuff up. The destruction that Krasner has wrought on that office is a tragedy."

McSwain subsequently went on Twitter again to rip The Philadelphia Inquirer, which, as usual, was sleeping through another news cycle involving possible bad publicity for their favorite progressive D.A.:

"So where's the @PhillyInquirer article on this? Everybody knows that the Inquirer bends over backwards to protect Krasner, but this is a little too obvious -- even for them."

Gabriel Escobar, editor and vice president of the Inquirer, did not respond to an email and questions posed on Twitter as to why the Inquirer continues to cover up for Larry Krasner. Meanwhile, Krasner, along with his alleged spokesperson, Jane Roh, were stonewalling as usual, refusing to comment. 

11

DA's Gun Violence Counselor Shoots And Kills Male Prostitute

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

As a member of the District Attorney's Immediate Response Team, DeVonte' Douglass routinely goes out to crime scenes, hospitals, and the medical examiner's office when there's been a homicide, to aid victims' families. 

Shortly before 10 a.m. yesterday, Douglass had an up close and personal experience involving a homicide in a case where Douglass was identified by police as the shooter. But according to Douglass's version of the story, he was also a crime victim.

It happened shortly before 10 a.m. yesterday, at the intersection of 31st and Lehigh Streets, adjacent to the Mount Peace Cemetery. At a time when most employees at the D.A.'s office are expected to be at work, Douglass told police he shot and killed Vernon Harris, whom he had met on Instagram, and agreed "to a sexual encounter in exchange for money," police said.

According to police, the two black males met at 27th and Cambria. Douglass, 28, of the 2900 block of North Bambrey St.,  got into a white Dodge Durango driven by Harris, 29, and then they drove to the cemetery. After their encounter, which took place in the back seat of the vehicle, with the windows open, Douglass told police, Harris stood outside the vehicle and pointed a gun at Douglass, and demanded all his money.

Harris then placed his gun inside his waistband. But when Harris started reaching around the vehicle, Douglass told police that he feared that Harris was going to take out his gun again and shoot him. So Douglass drew his gun and shot Harris twice in the chest, killing him. Then he ran across Lehigh Avenue, pleading for someone to call police. 

19

Man With 5 Prior Arrests For Beating His Wife Stabs Her To Death

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

At 10:28 p.m. on Thursday night, Elwood Walton walked up to cops in the parking lot outside the 18th Police District at 55th and Pine, and confessed that he had just killed somebody.

That somebody turned out to be Walton's wife. Cops went to the address supplied by Walton, a two-story row house in the 5700 block of Walton Avenue. Inside, they found the victim, identified as Marilyn Zellars, 54, lying on the floor of the living room under a pile of debris that included clothes and sheets that had been soaked with blood and bleach. The victim had been stabbed multiple times in the face, neck and stomach, the cops said; she also had deep purple bruises on the torso and buttocks. 

Walton, 40, the confessed killer, had 16 prior arrests, including five cases of alleged domestic abuse where Zellars was the alleged victim, along with six additional assault arrests involving other alleged victims. For the past three years, Walton has been out on $25,000 unsecured bail, meaning he didn't have to put up a cent to stay out of jail, as he awaited a new trial after he appealed his most recent conviction. It's an open domestic assault case from 2017, where Zellars was the complainant.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by a medic at 10:40 p.m. Police said the house had been the setting of a violent struggle, with the victim bleeding heavily throughout the house. Police found blood splattered on a second floor stairs, a second floor hallway, a bathroom, and in the back and front bedrooms. Police also found a plastic bag in the basement filled with blood-stained women's clothing.

3

In Court, AG Seeks To Cover Up Collusion, Leaks, In Sandusky Case

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

The ethically-challenged state attorney general's office has argued in state Superior Court that a secret diary compiled by a former FBI agent that documents rampant collusion and multiple grand jury leaks by the AG's office during the Jerry Sandusky investigation amounts to "purely speculation."

Sandusky's lawyers are seeking an evidentiary hearing where Kathleen McChesney, the decorated former FBI agent who's the author of the diary, would be brought in for questioning. Sandusky's lawyers also want to question former deputy attorney general Frank Fina, a noted bad actor in this case who also happens to be the alleged leaker repeatedly fingered by McChesney in her diary.

But rather than take on the facts as posed in newly discovered evidence, Jennifer Buck, the senior deputy attorney general in charge of the AG's appeals and legal services division, argued Wednesday before a panel of three judges that such an evidentiary hearing would amount to a "fishing expedition," and that's why Sandusky's appeal for a new trial should be dismissed on procedural grounds.

2

The D.A., A Non-Violent Prisoner Release, And A Brutal Murder

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

At a June 8th City Council budget hearing, District Attorney Larry Krasner was asked about the recidivism rate of the more than 1,000 criminals that Krasner had just let out of jail during the Covid-19 crisis.

Only 4.7 percent of the prisoners were recharged, presumably for such low-level offenses as turnstile jumping, graffiti writing, or driving under the influence, the jovial Krasner told the City Council. And less than 1% of the prisoners he released, the D.A. bragged, were recharged with a violent offense. 

"We were of course selective about primarily making sure these were nonviolent offenses," Krasner assured the council, "so you don't see any sort of a crime spike coming out of it." 

Meet Jamal Brinson, one of those supposedly nonviolent criminals that Krasner let out jail during the Covid crisis. At just 20 years of age, Brinson, of North Philadelphia, had five previous arrests on a total of 17 charges for offenses that included selling hundreds of packets of heroin, and dozens of packets of crack cocaine, as well as robbery, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. 

Brinson also happened to be on probation for a gunpoint robbery when he got busted three times in two months last year for selling drugs. But despite his violent, drug-dealing past, Brinson was placed on the Covid-19 Public Defender's Parole List No. 1. On April 17th, the D.A.'s office agreed to Brinson's release, after he had served only one month of a sweetheart plea bargaining deal previously arranged by the D.A.'s office that sentenced Brinson to 11 1/2 to 23 months in jail.

What did Brinson do with his newfound freedom? Just 20 days after he got out of jail, on May 6th, Brinson played the lookout in the attempted robbery and murder of a Dominican bodega owner, who was shot in the face by Brinson's partner in crime, and died three days later. 

6

What Are These Guys Doing Out On The Street?

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

At 8 p.m. last night, a gunman opened fire on a crowd of men standing on the 4900 block of Frankford Avenue. One man was killed; six others were wounded.

All the victims were black males, but none were choir boys. Between them, the seven men had 51 prior arrests, including seven arrests for violations of the Uniform Firearms Act. As far as the shooter goes, nobody knows how many priors he's got, but hopefully, we'll find that out when he's in custody.

In the last two days, there have been 17 shootings in Philadelphia, resulting in one murder, and many more victims in critical condition. The city is now up to 371 homicides, which puts us on a pace for 435 to 460 for the year. Meanwhile, in New York City, which has more than five times the population of Philadelphia, as of Oct. 4th, there were only 346 murders.

Why are there so many murders in Philadelphia? The simple answer is that there are far too many dangerous guys who belong in jail, but instead are out on the streets of Philadelphia, shooting each other on a nightly basis. And who's responsible for emptying the city's jails? Anecdotal evidence, like what happened last night on Frankford Avenue, as well as a recent study, point to the one guy who's responsible for all this mayhem: District Attorney Larry Krasner.

16

Black Detective: D.A. Krasner Running 'Tuskegee-Type' Experiment

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

With his radical version of criminal justice reform, District Attorney Larry Krasner is conducting a Tuskegee-type experiment on the population of Philadelphia, an experiment that's knowingly causing the preventable deaths of hundreds of black males.

That's the explosive charge a former homicide detective who happens to be black has made in an appeals brief filed in the Third Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. The brief is the latest chapter in a whistleblower lawsuit that the detective had previously filed against the D.A.'s office in U.S. District Court alleging prosecutorial misconduct in Krasner's indictment of a white police officer who shot a black dirt biker to death.

"Krasner's District Attorney's Office of corruption has instituted a 'Tuskegee' type experiment on the citizens of Philadelphia," Detective Derrick Jacobs wrote in a 27-page appeal brief filed last month that requests oral arguments in the case.

"While authoring this brief approximately 34 citizens were shot and 7 killed in approximately 24 hours in Philadelphia," Jacobs wrote. "Most, if not all of the victims, were African Americans." 

"There are approximately 348 homicides in the city" composed of "mostly African Americans," Jacobs wrote. "The increase in violence being perpetrated against this community is predominantly the direct result of the systemic corruption and policies at the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, headed by Krasner."

4

As Dead Bodies Pile Up, P.C. Outlaw Recites Meaningless Statistics

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

It was the equivalent of a major league baseball manger coming out while his team was suffering through an epic losing streak and saying hey, wait a minute, folks, there's a silver lining here. 

Our shortstop who bats ninth in the lineup has finally raised his batting average above .190. And hey, he's even looking a little more aggressive at the plate. So things are really looking up here.

But hey Skip, we've lost our last 23 games in a row, and you don't still don't have a stinkin' clue how to turn this thing around.

In the middle of a record homicide epidemic, beleaguered Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw called a press conference this morning to throw around some meaningless statistics in an attempt to find a silver lining. She did it in the midst of the latest outbreak of gun violence that featured a brazen execution in broad daylight yesterday afternoon in the Lowe's parking lot down in South Philly. 

While Outlaw conceded that the record number of dead bodies piling up in the streets was "especially shameful and sickening," she wanted everyone to know, "We are working very diligently and passionately toward the goal of a safer Philadelphia."

15

Police Lieutenant Posts Trump Wearing A KKK Hood

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

In the image posted on social media by a Philadelphia police lieutenant, President Trump is standing on the debate stage in Cleveland wearing a KKK hood.

In another post, the same officer, Lt. Jonathan Josey, states as "facts:" "It's not wrong to call this president a motherfucker. It's wrong to call this motherfucker a President."

It's yet another example of the glaring double standard that the Philadelphia Police Department employs when it chooses to enforce its social media policy. 

As previously reported on Big Trial, if you're a white cop making any comment that's perceived as racist, you're looking at a suspension, and the possibility of losing your job.

If you're black and ripping whitey, you typically get a pass. Especially if you're expressing liberal or Progressive views. Because being a conservative is another problem. 

27

Woman Dies Of Overdose At Homeless Camp On Parkway

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net

A homeless woman was found dead in the Tent City on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway last night with a needle in her arm.

Police said identity of the victim, who had overdosed, was unknown, and that records recording her death listed her as Jane Doe, age unknown. 

The homeless camp at 22nd and the Parkway has been the site of numerous overdoses. The city, in its legal filings in U.S. District Court seeking to clear the Parkway, has claimed there have been as many as 21 emergency calls for drug overdoses in one month at the camps, which the city said were overrun with the synthetic drug K2.

The camp at 22nd and the Parkway, home to some 150 "activists," was previously the site of a fatal crash on Sept. 25th that left one 20-year-old man dead and a woman injured. Cops told CBS Philly that the driver of a speeding Volkswagen swerved to avoid cones in the road that led to the camp. The camp's alleged leaders subsequently told reporters that as a "good will" gesture, they had voluntarily removed two homemade barriers of wooden pallets that had previously blocked all four lanes of 22nd Street to all traffic.

Camp leaders on Saturday also announced that the Kenney administration had allegedly struck a deal with the activists to supposedly turn over 50 vacant properties previously slated to be sold to developers to a community land trust to be managed by the activists. Talk about having your cake and eating it too. But WHYY quoted a city spokesman on Sunday declining to confirm the deal, saying that many details remained to be worked out. And that as part of the deal, the activists would have to leave the Parkway where they've been allowed by the Kenney administration to illegally squat on public land and litter it with hypodermic needles and all kinds of trash for the past four months.

8

Richie Ross On Joe Bologna Firing: 'Should Have Never Happened'

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

Former Police Commissioner Richard Ross was watching video of the incident during an allegedly peaceful protest that got Staff Inspector Joe Bologna fired. 

Ross froze the video in the middle of the action and said it was obvious that Bologna never struck protester Evan Gorski in the head with his baton, as falsely alleged by District Attorney Larry Krasner.

"How did this unravel with his [Bologna's] career ending in an instant?" Ross asked. "That should have never happened." 

In an interview with Russell Kolins, a private investigator working for lawyers defending Bologna against criminal charges, Ross  ripped Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw for being missing in action on June 1st, the day of the protest on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway that got Bologna fired.

"When you've got volatile circumstances," Ross said, "You have to know that things are going to go badly . . . To me, if your people are there and they're being put in harm's way, how do you not put yourself in that same predicament and lead from the front?"

When the commanders are out there with the troops, Ross said, it instills a sense of confidence, and gives the troops an extra burst of energy.  

"If I was going to hell in a handbag, I was going to be there with the people," Ross said. 

16

Big Trial On Dom Giordano Talking About Cops & Social Media

Ralph Cipriano of bigtrial.net was a guest on Dom Giordano's radio show yesterday. 

The topics included the police department's double standard in enforcing its social media policy, and the continuing travesty of the homeless encampments on the Parkway, where for the past four months, Mayor Kenney has been too afraid to enforce the law. 

Meanwhile, the camps have been the site of several stabbings, rampant drug use, and unsanitary conditions.

Cipriano also discussed how it's become a full-time job at bigtrial.net holding the mayor, the district attorney and the police commissioner accountable because the city's paper of record isn't interested in doing that.

The talk show segment can be heard here. Cipriano's segment is the second featured audio clip, after attorney George Parry discusses the Breonna Taylor grand jury.

7

The Philly Police Dept.'s Double Standard On Its Social Media Policy

By Ralph Cipriano

for BigTrial.net 

"Fuck them racist ass crackers," Philadelphia Police Officer Kathy Caswell, who's black, wrote on Facebook under her real name. "We are doing more and better as a race then you guys."

On her Facebook page that identifies by her name, as well as being a Philly cop, Police Officer Michelle Dennard, who's black, shared a photo of a KKK rally, with the accompanying caption, "I don't know why WHITE PEOPLE are making such a big deal about wearing a mask in public. It's not like it bothered them before."

Police Officer Glenn Holmes, who's black and posts under his real name, has called President Trump a "motherfucker" on Facebook. He's also posted a giant cartoon middle finger along with the caption, "FUCK TRUMP; AND IF YOU LIKE TRUMP FUCK YOU TOO." " Holmes has also posted nude photos of Melania Trump, under the caption, "HEY YOU REPUBLICANS THIS IS YOUR FIRST LADY," and then he added his own comment, "Y'all must be really proud, huh?"

What do all three of these cops have in common? They all escaped the scrutiny of the Plain View Project that has resulted in the disciplining, suspension and/or firing of 72 Philadelphia cops for posting allegedly offensive and racist comments on social media; nor were these three cops ever disciplined by the Philadelphia Police Department for what they did. Even though it appears that all three cops blatantly violated the Philadelphia Police Department's official social media policy that prohibits "ethnic slurs, profanity, personal insults," as well as the display of "sexually explicit images." 

It's a double-standard that's prompted nine of the 72 disciplined, suspended and/or fired Philly cops to sue the city in federal court, saying the department violated their constitutional rights to free speech, and also falsely branded them as racists. In an interview, one of the cops who's suing the city, a decorated former member of the SWAT team who became a poster boy for the Plain View Project, tells his side of the story about how he was taken out by a lethal combo of "cancel culture" and "fake news."

11

The Mysterious Suicide Of Dr. James Kauffman D.O.

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

 

On Jan. 26, 2018, the chaplain at the Hudson County Jail called the third wife of Dr. James Kauffman, to let her know that her husband had just committed suicide.

Kauffman, originally arrested on a gun charge, was being held without bail at the Hudson County Jail in Kearny, N.J. for the alleged murder of his second wife, April Kauffman, a crime that the government alleged was a contract hit.

The doctor, officials said, had been found face-down in his cell after carrying out what the Press of Atlantic City described as a "carefully planned" suicide by hanging himself with a twisted bed sheet.

But not everybody was buying it.

Andrew Glick, the outlaw Pagan biker and drug dealer turned lead prosecution witness, believed that Kauffman had faked his death and was alive somewhere else in the country under the witness protection program.

After Kauffman's body was cremated, Carole Weintraub, Kauffman's third wife, and former high school sweetheart, wound up with an urn, but she wondered whose ashes were in it. The six-page suicide note that Kauffman left behind only added to the mystery.

3

Philly's New Gun Control Strategy: Gross Mismanagement

By A. Benjamin Mannes
for BigTrial.net

Imagine you’re a victim of domestic violence who is being stalked by your ex. Or maybe you're a single, female realtor showing houses throughout the city. Or you're a small business owner with cash receipts who fears opening and closing her business alone amid the city’s skyrocketing crime rate. 

For most Philadelphians, hiring armed security when most businesses are barely scraping by is unaffordable. At the same time, police manpower is being strangled by the city’s rising crime rate, daily protests and new policies that prevent officers from performing their traditional proactive, preventative policing strategies. These factors all but guarantee an unfortunate circumstance where police will not be there for many at-risk citizens when they need them most.

Therefore, Philadelphians regardless of race, gender or political affiliation are exercising their Second Amendment rights to legally purchase and carry a firearm. An increase in legal gun purchases and carry permit applications amid the civil unrest being allowed by locally elected leaders, comes as no surprise. However, sources confirmed that, citing COVID-19 as an excuse, the Philadelphia Police gun permit unit is preventing qualified citizens from obtaining their gun permits by scheduling their appointments to submit their paperwork out over a year in advance.

Recently, Mayor Kenney, District Attorney Krasner and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw have all cited the need for local gun control as a way to pass the buck for a lack of proven strategies to combat the city’s skyrocketing homicide rate. However; the fact that Outlaw’s department is imposing year-long delays in scheduling simple permitting interviews has caused legal professionals to question whether or not the Kenney administration is starving the police gun permit unit resources as a way to run a backdoor gun control campaign in Philadelphia.

8