Outside Hospital, Cops Linked Arms To Prevent D.A. From Entering

By Ralph Cipriano
for BigTrial.net

When District Attorney Larry Krasner showed up at Temple University Hospital, where a police officer died this morning, the fallen officer's comrades linked arms and wouldn't let Krasner in.

Moments later, Fox 29 reporter Jenn Frederick, who was broadcasting live, asked Krasner on camera, "It appears that the police officers were literally keeping you outside."

Krasner didn't answer the question; instead he looked right past the reporter and gave a robotic speech.

"So the reason I'm here is we have a very serious incident involving a police officer," he said, stating the obvious. "I was here for the victim for the victim, the victim's family and for any survivors," he said, adding that he also wanted to show "just how much we care about what happens to our law enforcement officers."

That was rich coming from a guy who used to sue police officers for a living. Before he became a "public defender with power" as the D.A. describes himself, and acquired the right to indict police officers.

The plucky Frederick stayed on point: "Were you able to get inside and speak to the family members, the people you were here to see?"

Once again, Krasner didn't answer the question. Instead he looked right past the reporter again and went back on the stump.

"So I've spoken to the police commissioner and the police commissioner is in direct contact with the family and we will have more information later," he said, adding that it was "inappropriate" for him to say anything further.

"There you go guys, he's not saying much of anything," Frederick told the hosts on Good Day Philadelphia.

Frederick then noted that at the hospital where Cpl. James O'Connor IV, died, the police commissioner and the mayor and friends and family were inside, but when it came to Krasner, the "district attorney of this city did not go inside this hospital." And that the cops outside the hospital "certainly didn't invite him in."

"The police officers made a wall of people," Frederick said. She noted that the relationship between the D.A. and the cops "has not always been a good one."

Both Krasner and his alleged spokesperson, Jane Roh, did not respond to a request for comment. Luckily for Progressive Larry and his sidekick Jane, when the Inquirer reported this morning about the murder of Cpl. O'Connor, they didn't embarrass the D.A. by mentioning how the cops had barred him from entering the hospital.

Even though Fox 29 had broadcast the aftermath of the confrontation live. Amazing how Progressives at the Inky continue to cover for Progressive Larry.

But on Fox, unlike the Inky, Federick wasn't covering for anybody.

She explained that the station was showing live footage of the district attorney being turned away from the hospital because of "The police officers basically standing there blocking his way."

"Look at the wall of police officers in that door not letting him or his team in," she said. "Guys this is something I don't think we have ever seen in the city of Philadelphia. The District Attorney of Philadelphia looks like he was literally kept from being in that room."

Friends of Cpl. O'Connor also sent word to Krasner not to try and visit O'Connor's home.

When he showed up at Temple and got stiffed this morning, Krasner shouldn't have been surprised. It was the same deal last Aug. 16, when six cops were shot and Krasner had to be there.

"When he arrived at Temple [University Hospital] I informed him that he was not welcome," FOP President John McNesby wrote in an email at the time about Krasner. "The officers did not wish to see him."

That day, three wounded officers were treated at Temple and released. The other three wounded officers were treated at Einstein Medical Center, and also released.

Krasner also tried to visit the wounded officers at Einstein.

"I wasn't there," McNesby said. "One [wounded officer] denied him access. The other two were caught off guard and blew him off with brief answers."

"He was there for the cameras," McNesby said dismissively about Krasner.

When asked at a press conference whether he was barred from visiting the wounded officers at the hospital, Krasner denied that it happened.