PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said his office plans to appeal a judge’s decision to overturn the conviction of the man found guilty of fatally shooting a police officer more than a decade ago.
Rafael Jones was convicted of first-degree murder in 2014 for the shooting death of Police Officer Moses Walker, who was shot and killed as he was leaving work two years earlier.
On Monday, Judge Jennifer Schultz overturned Jones’ conviction and ordered a new trial by judge, citing the case’s connection to disgraced former homicide detective Philip Nordo.
Nordo was convicted in 2022 of sexually assaulting witnesses tied to homicide cases. Nordo sat in on Jones’ confession, which Schultz said could have altered his defense strategy.
The confession, however, was never used at trial.
Flanked by Walker’s mother, Wayniya Walker, and the Fraternal Order of Police president on Tuesday, Krasner announced his office will appeal the decision to overturn Jones’ conviction.
“If the appellate court disagrees, we will be retrying this case,” said Krasner. “We have a lot of evidence to do so, and we will be retrying it vigorously.”
The second defendant, Chancier McFarland, was also charged with Walker’s murder, but he took a plea deal and testified that Jones was the shooter.
Philadelphia Police Officer Moses Walker was shot and killed in 2012. Philadelphia Police Department
Wayniya Walker spoke on what would have been her son’s 55th birthday: “Justice, however, requires that Moses remain at the center of this case,” she said, “that his rights as a victim receive full consideration and that the safety of the public remain a paramount concern.”
The DA Office’s Appeals Unit has been recently criticized by both the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and federal judges. Two attorneys within the office accused Krasner of threatening them to “protect the office” during a controversial appeal.
When asked, Krasner said he has confidence in his attorneys to handle the Jones case, which could take years.
He replied, “I mean, I am not sure who’s agenda that question serves, but I think it’s pretty clear there is confidence here.”
