To hear the debate in its entirety, tune in Saturday, May 8, at 8 a.m. to KYW Newsradio 103.9 FM, or listen here:
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A spirited debate became even more intense after incumbent Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and challenger Carlos Vega made their cases to the public for an hour on KYW Newsradio and NBC10.
As Krasner and Vega were removing their mics, the animosity between the two grew sharper.
"I’m your worst nightmare. You made a mistake a long time ago," said Vega. "I’ve been in your head a long time." The former homicide prosecutor was referring to Krasner firing him.
"Sure, Carlos," Krasner replied.
Vega then said, "You have security downstairs?"
"Why? Do I need it?"
"Do you want to give me a ride home?" Vega asked.
"I think you need to walk," replied Krasner, making the room starkly uncomfortable.
"Do you want to shake hands?" Vega asked, and offered to "hug it out." But Krasner walked briskly out of the studio, without time for questions.
That cold exchange followed a contentious debate, with both candidates contrasting their philosophies and trading numerous accusations.
"The rage he has," said Vega afterward. "I am living rent-free in his head. He thinks about me constantly."
The only live debate between the two candidates was held 13 days before the city's Democratic district attorney primary election, which comes as Philadelphia law enforcement and the court system attempt to grapple with an unprecedented wave in violent crime and issues of criminal justice reform.
Krasner said he was running on his record of decreasing incarceration and supervision, and holding police accountable, while achieving an 85% conviction rate on shootings.
His challenger painted a different picture — of an office staffed by inexperienced and ineffective prosecutors who fail to win convictions. He put responsibility for the city’s violent crime epidemic squarely on the DA.
Krasner fought back, repeatedly accusing Vega of lying.
"Once again we have the usual lasagna of lies," Krasner said, claiming his opponent was delivering layers of falsehoods about his record.
He also accused Vega of having too strong an attachment to the Fraternal Order of Police, saying the leadership of the officers' union does not want accountability.
"We have to go toward a bright future instead of a very troubling, racist, brutal past. That's exactly where the FOP's candidate wants us to go," said Krasner. "We know exactly who he is going to serve. We know exactly who he is serving right now."
Vega tried to contrast his plan of collaboration with police, state prosecutors and other community stakeholders with Krasner's record in that area, and claimed he would focus more on prosecution.
"I know what I'm doing. I have compassion. I work well with others. I'm smart enough to know I don't have all the answers," said Vega. "I would not go to the office as Mr. Krasner did and fire everyone."
The two men often agreed. Both said they wanted to focus on preventing crime and that the tactic known as focused deterrence is a good way to do so — and yet they still ended up at odds.
"We’ve been involved in the GVI program, which is in fact a focused deterrence program, for a very long time," Krasner said.
"When he took office, he fired the head of that program and it was dismantled," Vega snapped back. "It was the mayor who brought that program in."
The two gave divergent views of the incumbent's conviction records on violent crime.
"We have a crisis with shootings," Krasner said, responding to the current crisis and specific cases of both fatal and non-fatal gun violence.
"We have a nearly 85% conviction rates with those cases."
But Vega attempted to characterize Krasner's record by adding other levels of violent crime into a statistic that he believes shows a different story.
"The conviction rate has gone down substantially. From Jan. 1 to April 30. ... His conviction rate is 32%. We talk about violence in the city. The DA's office has dropped the ball. The attorneys are not doing their job," Vega said.
"We don’t need to make a choice between reform or safety. We need both. We deserve both. Mr. Krasner, you have blood on your hands."
A father who lost a child to gun violence asked an emotionally pointed question: "What will you do to ensure the safety of the kids of Philadelphia?"
"We have about five new methods in the police department which have gotten us an incredibly high rate of convictions for fatal and non-fatal shootings," said Krasner. "No one wants to hear their child is dead. And that [criminal] got a long sentence."
Vega then attempted to color Krasner as someone with unsuccessful relationships with law enforcement and other stakeholders, relationships which he says don't lead to enough prosecutions.
"He does not want to work well with other agencies," Vega said. "There are no consequences. That's why we see the murder rate and shooting rate go up."
Later, questions came involving Krasner's relationship with Philadelphia police officers, and Krasner responded with how the FOP is specifically supporting Vega.
The FOP is on record as having made a concerted effort to get their members registered as Democrats. Thousands of Republicans and independents are registering as Democrats, so they can vote in the primary, hoping to unseat Krasner and elect Vega.
When asked by KYW Newsradio's Kristen Johanson about victims' rights, Vega and Krasner contrasted as well about conversations with their families during the prosecutorial process, as well as their presence during court cases.
"When people have suffered a terrible trauma ... sometimes their trauma is so great that they have to express it in different ways. It is key that prosecutors don't use that in political purposes," said the incumbent.
"I have an open door policy," said the challenger. "Speak to the family members and make sure they are aware with every step of the case ... which Mr. Krasner has not done."
They wrapped up the one-hour debate by continuing to reflect the divergent cases they make to voters for the May 18 election.