Miscarriage of justice

The City of New Haven has agreed to a $16.5 million settlement with Adam Carmon, resolving a federal civil rights lawsuit stemming from his wrongful conviction in a 1994 shooting that killed 7-month-old Danielle Taft and paralyzed her grandmother. Carmon spent nearly 29 years in prison before his conviction was overturned by a Connecticut Superior Court in 2022. His lawsuit alleged New Haven police fabricated evidence, coerced false statements, and withheld exculpatory evidence. The settlement, reached days before a federal trial was set to begin, comes on top of $7.9 million Carmon previously received from the state. Mayor Justin Elicker apologized, citing outdated forensic practices since replaced by modern policing methods.

U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond has referred Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to the Justice Department for investigation, alleging obstruction related to a federal court hearing. According to reporting, supervisors in Krasner's office scrutinized internal conduct ahead of the June hearing, raising questions about how the office handled matters connected to a case reviewed for a possible miscarriage of justice.

Krasner, a leading figure among progressive prosecutors nationally, was first elected in 2017 with backing from criminal justice reform donors, including George Soros, and has built a reputation for challenging traditional prosecutorial practices. The referral marks a significant legal and political threat to his tenure, arriving as Philadelphia's Democratic establishment, including Mayor Cherelle Parker, navigates its relationship with his office. The outcome of any DOJ inquiry could affect Krasner's standing, his reelection prospects, and the broader progressive prosecutor movement he has come to symbolize nationally.