Another fired prosecutor sues DA Larry Krasner, alleging age discrimination

Another former prosecutor fired by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner during his first month in office has sued him and the city for age discrimination.

Michelle Seidner, most recently an assistant district attorney in the DA’s Office’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit, contends in her federal lawsuit filed Friday that after more than 34 years and “stellar performance,” she was fired in January 2018 “without any explanation or advance warning” because of her age. She was 60 at the time.

Seidner could not be reached for comment Monday. Her lawyer, Kevin Console, did not return a request for comment.

Jane Roh, Krasner’s spokesperson, and Andrew Richman, chief of staff in the city’s Law Department, both declined to comment Monday on Seidner’s lawsuit.

The lawsuit follows two similar suits filed against Krasner over the summer. On Sept. 5, former homicide prosecutors Carlos Vega and Joseph Whitehead Jr. filed a suit alleging they were fired in January 2018 because of their age. Vega was 61 at the time, Whitehead 64.

And on July 19, Tami Levin, who had directed the office’s Victim Witness Services Unit, alleged in a lawsuit that she was fired in January 2018 at age 51 because of her race and age. Levin, who is white, was replaced by Movita Johnson-Harrell, who is black and also was 51 then. Johnson-Harrell has since resigned and is now a state representative.

In response to Levin’s lawsuit, the city’s Law Department agreed in a court filing Monday that Levin was given no reason for her termination, but said the city and Krasner “strictly deny that they or any of their employees or representatives engaged in any discriminatory, retaliatory, or otherwise inappropriate actions.”

Levin’s lawsuit was filed by the same Center City firm, Console Mattiacci Law, that represents Seidner.

According to Seidner’s lawsuit, she received a letter Jan. 5, 2018, notifying her that if she did not retire or resign within three days, her employment would be terminated Jan. 12. She was fired on that date, the suit says.

Seidner’s suit contends that the office retained two other assistant district attorneys in the same unit who were younger and less experienced, and that after her termination the office “hired and/or promoted a considerable number of substantially younger and less qualified” prosecutors.

Seidner is seeking compensatory damages including for lost earnings; punitive damages; and any other relief that the court may deem appropriate.