The family of murdered Temple University police officer Chris Fitzgerald demanded a recall of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner following Krasner’s rejection of the death sentence for the slain officer’s killer.
On a Saturday night near the Temple University campus, 31-year-old husband and father of five Fitzgerald was attempting to prevent a carjacking by a group of teenagers wearing black. Miles Pfeffer, who was 18 years old at the time, shot Fitzgerald six times in the head, and the footage was captured on Fitzgerald’s body-worn camera.
They learned on Tuesday night that Krasner would be rejecting a death penalty case for Pfeffer.
According to the district attorney’s office, Pfeffer was indicted in February 2023 on a number of crimes, including murder, robbery, carjacking, possession of an instrument of crime, and the murder of a law enforcement officer.
The defendant, who is now 19 years old, reportedly shot Fitzgerald, stole his pistol, and then committed a carjacking before fleeing the scene, according to officials. Pfeffer was apprehended the next day in Buckingham Township, his hometown, by the United States Marshals and the Bucks County Police.
According to the Fitzgerald family’s civil complaint, which they launched against Pfeffer’s parents and his mother’s lover, Pfeffer’s mother allegedly picked up the suspect in Philadelphia following the shooting and took him home.
Joel expressed concern on behalf of Fitzgerald’s family that Krasner, motivated by his “own agenda,” may attempt to avoid a jury trial by negotiating a plea agreement with the defendant for third-degree murder rather than first-degree.
A representative from Krasner’s office, Dustin Slaughter, said that the prosecutor has been consistent with his oath to seek justice and uphold the law and will not seek the death penalty in the case of Miles Pfeffer.
Slaughter explained that the group reviewed all aspects of the incident and all obtainable information on Pfefer before offering their recommendations to District Attorney Krasner, who made the final decision.
