Jury rejects discrimination suit by former prosecutor

A federal court jury has rejected a discrimination lawsuit by a veteran former Philadelphia homicide prosecutor over his 2018 termination by District Attorney Larry Krasner.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that jurors deliberated for less than two hours Monday before rejecting Carlos Vega’s allegation that his dismissal stemmed from a discriminatory campaign targeting older prosecutors as Krasner tried to align the office to his progressive vision. He was 61 at the time of his termination.

Krasner, who was removed last month as a defendant in the lawsuit against the city, defeated Vega last year in the Democratic primary on the way to winning re-election. The city has paid out more than $1.5 million to settle similar age discrimination suits from four other staffers also among the 30 fired at the same time, the Inquirer reported.

Last week, the Republican-led state House voted to impeach Krasner over progressive policies he has enacted amid rising crime in the city, leaving him facing the prospect of a state Senate trial and possible removal from office.