Local
Bethel and Krasner clash over release of claims tied to Eric Lewis’ 2019 case
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel criticized District Attorney Larry Krasner for discussing alleged flaws in a 2019 murder investigation days after Officer Shane Seiber was killed. Krasner says his office’s video was meant to correct information he considered false; Lewis now faces federal charges in Seiber’s killing.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and District Attorney Larry Krasner are publicly at odds over Krasner’s decision to discuss alleged problems in a 2019 murder investigation while the city was mourning Officer Shane Seiber, who was killed earlier this month.
Bethel spoke Thursday at a news conference about federal charges against Eric Lewis, 35, who is accused of killing Seiber. The commissioner said the timing of Krasner’s comments was unacceptable, describing an emotional week that included Seiber’s funeral.
“I will hold my department accountable when we are wrong, but everybody else should hold them damn selves accountable as well,” Bethel said.
Krasner said in a video released days after Seiber was shot that Lewis had been acquitted in 2023 of the 2019 murder of Christopher Williams because of a flawed police investigation. Krasner alleged that an officer involved in the case lied about tips while dating Lewis’ sister.
Bethel said the officer had engaged in misconduct and was fired last year. He also said investigators would need to establish who did what and when, adding that revisiting the case would not bring Seiber back. Bethel argued that prosecutors would not bring a case to court if they did not believe they had an effective one.
Williams was killed in West Philadelphia after a road-rage incident. His mother has said the family never understood why Lewis was acquitted and learned of the possible investigative problems through Krasner’s video.
Bethel said Krasner’s announcement came when Seiber’s family, police officers and the wider community were grieving. “You stand up and you talk about something that is unnecessary,” he said.
In a statement, Krasner said he supports the federal charges against Lewis and will continue to lead the prosecution with “vigor, determination, fairness and transparency.” He said the Oct. 13 video was intended to correct what he described as false information shared with multiple media outlets by a senior law-enforcement official who works directly for Bethel.
Krasner said he would continue reaching out to Bethel and Mayor Cherelle Parker in hopes of working together. He also said he had contacted Roosevelt Poplar, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police, about supporting Seiber’s family and offered to meet to share more information.
Krasner last week raised the possibility of charges against the former officer over alleged conduct in the 2019 case. The allegations have not been established in court.