{"id":2616317,"date":"2026-06-19T13:25:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T17:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-da-supervisor-suspended-for-misleading-judge-to-vacate-death-penalty\/"},"modified":"2026-06-19T13:27:06","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T17:27:06","slug":"former-da-supervisor-suspended-for-misleading-judge-to-vacate-death-penalty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-da-supervisor-suspended-for-misleading-judge-to-vacate-death-penalty\/","title":{"rendered":"Former DA supervisor suspended for misleading judge to vacate death penalty"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fformer-da-supervisor-suspended-for-misleading-judge-to-vacate-death-penalty%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2616317&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A disciplinary panel found that Nancy Winkelman, a former supervisor in Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner\u2019s office, knowingly misled a judge in efforts to overturn a death sentence for convicted murderer Robert Wharton. Winkelman was suspended from practicing in federal court for three years, after evidence showed she <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >made misrepresentations related<\/a> to the case, including representing support from victims\u2019 family members who opposed the move, which she had not contacted. The panel concluded Winkelman was responsible for misconduct alongside former ADA Paul George, who was disbarred last year. Winkelman is appealing the suspension. This revelation closely follows a sharp rebuke from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which criticized Krasner\u2019s office for misleading courts, withholding evidence, and misrepresenting facts in multiple cases to overturn murder convictions. The court ordered a review of future cases involving Krasner\u2019s office, citing patterns of unreliable judicial representations. Krasner, elected in 2017 with support from George Soros, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/unitedhealth-stock-falls-after-report-company-paid-nursing-homes-to-curtail-hospital-transfers\/\" title=\"UnitedHealth stock falls after report company paid nursing homes to curtail hospital transfers\">faces ongoing scrutiny<\/a> for his office\u2019s conduct in the justice system.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A former supervisor in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/philadelphia\/\">Philadelphia<\/a> District Attorney Larry Krasner\u2019s office was suspended from practicing in federal court for three years after a disciplinary panel found she knowingly misled a judge while seeking to overturn a death sentence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.ca3.127730\/gov.uscourts.ca3.127730.10.0.pdf\">October order<\/a> that remained under seal until this week, a three-judge disciplinary panel of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pennsylvania\/\">Pennsylvania<\/a> found former Law Division chief Nancy Winkelman \u201cknowingly made misrepresentations\u201d in connection with efforts to vacate the death sentence of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/crime-and-justice\/commentary\/philadelphia-residents-are-not-safe-under-district-attorney-larry\">convicted murderer Robert Wharton.<\/a><\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4616556\/former-larry-krasner-supervisor-suspended-3-years-misleading-judge-death-penalty-case\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Former Larry Krasner supervisor suspended for thre years after misleading judge in death penalty case<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4616525\/joe-concha-gavin-newsom-doj-investigation-2028-elections\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018It smells bad, it looks bad\u2019: Joe Concha on Newsom investigation<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4616024\/eeoc-mlb-religious-discrimination-pride-night-hats\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>EEOC to probe MLB over alleged discrimination in Pride Night hat controversy: Dhillon<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAfter multiple hearings and extensive briefing, we find that Nancy Winkelman knowingly made misrepresentations to effectuate a policy of vacating all death sentences on appeal, at PCRA, or on federal habeas review,\u201d Judges Paul Diamond, Gerald Pappert, and John Gallagher wrote. \u201cWe do not credit her testimony that there is no such policy.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The panel issued its recommendation on Oct. 27. On March 9, Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania adopted the recommendation and suspended Winkelman from the court\u2019s bar for three years, while keeping the matter sealed pending appeals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The case stems from efforts by prosecutors in Krasner\u2019s office to reduce Wharton\u2019s death sentence to life imprisonment. Wharton was convicted of the 1984 murders of Bradley and Ferne Hart, whom prosecutors said he strangled and drowned after terrorizing their family for months over a disputed debt. The couple\u2019s infant daughter, Lisa, survived after being left alone in the home for days.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prosecutors later represented that members of the victims\u2019 family supported efforts to vacate Wharton\u2019s death sentence. It was later discovered that prosecutors had not contacted Lisa Hart-Newman, who opposed the move. U.S. District Judge Mitchell Goldberg ultimately rejected the request, ordered apology letters to the family, and later found prosecutors\u2019 review of the case was \u201cpatently deficient.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The disciplinary panel found Winkelman was \u201cwillfully blind to, and complicit in,\u201d misrepresentations made by former Assistant District Attorney Paul George, who was disbarred from federal court last year. The judges concluded George acted as the \u201cquarterback\u201d of the effort, but said Winkelman shared responsibility for the misconduct and \u201cbetrayed the public\u2019s trust,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/removepaywalls.com\/https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/crime\/assistant-district-attorney-paul-george-disbarred-federal-court-20251211.html\">according<\/a> to a December report from The <em>Philadelphia Inquirer<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Winkelman, who led the district attorney\u2019s law division beginning in 2018, is appealing the suspension. In a filing seeking to overturn the sanction, her attorney argued the ruling was \u201cinfected by serious errors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4612309\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-slams-philadelphia-larry-krasner\/\">PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT SLAMS PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT ATTORNEY<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The unsealing of the disciplinary findings came one day after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4612309\/pennsylvania-supreme-court-slams-philadelphia-larry-krasner\/\">sharply rebuked Krasner\u2019s office<\/a> for misleading courts, withholding evidence, and violating its duty of candor in multiple efforts to overturn murder convictions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/assets\/opinions\/Supreme\/out\/J-6-2025mo%20-%20106819216362682526.pdf\">sweeping opinion Tuesday<\/a>, the court ordered Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday\u2019s office to review future cases in which Krasner\u2019s office seeks to reverse convictions, citing what it described as Krasner\u2019s pattern of unreliable representations to judges in his effort to get murder convictions thrown out. Krasner, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/after-a-surge-in-violent-crime-progressives-win-big-in-pennsylvanias-largest-cities\/\" title=\"After A Surge In Violent Crime, Progressives Win Big In Pennsylvania\u2019s Largest Cities\">progressive district attorney<\/a>, was elected in 2017 with the backing of liberal megadonor George Soros.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ex-D.A. supervisor suspended for 3 years over misleading judge<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2616318,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25141093905519.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33571,46920,81446],"class_list":["post-2616317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-death-penalty","tag-judicial-ethics","tag-legal-misconduct"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP25141093905519.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2616317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2616317"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2616317\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2616321,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2616317\/revisions\/2616321"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2616318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2616317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2616317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2616317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}