WATCH AND DISCUSS THE PBS SERIES "PHILLY D.A." AT THE LIBRARY!

Join your neighbors at eight Free Library of Philadelphia libraries between May 23 and June 30th, to watch and discuss individual episodes of the award winning PBS documentary series Philly D.A.. We seek to learn from you, and from each other the answers to several pressing questions.

Schedule of screenings and discussions:

Monday June 13, 2022 | 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Let’s Talk: Philly D.A. | Life without Parole

Logan Library | 1333 Wagner Ave 19141

Free tickets, but please RSVP on Eventbrite for this special extended hours event

Do life sentences keep our city safe? What is the cost of a life-sentence to a person, their family, their community, and especially when that person is a juvenile? We will use episode 5 as a jumping off point to discuss and learn about community youth resources with neighborhood advocates.

Episode 5 synopsis (watch clip) : Krasner reviews the case of Joseph Chamberlain, who was sentenced to life without parole as a juvenile for murdering another teenager in 1992. He struggles to persuade the public and the media of systemic solutions to public safety during a spike in the homicide rate.

Moderator: Dr. Jill McCorkel, Villanova University
Panelists: Cynthia Alvarado, former youth lifer | Andrew Keats, Juvenile Law Center
 

Tuesday June 14, 2022 | 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Let’s Talk: Philly D.A. | Opioid epidemic and neighborhood violence

Fumo Family Library | 2437 South Broad St 19148 (Broad and Porter)

Free tickets, but please RSVP on Eventbrite

Opioid addiction affects over 1 million people in the US and Philadelphia is one of the cities hit hardest by this public health crisis. Many cities are adopting harm reduction practices like free needle exchange or offering free Narcan kits and training to prevent overdose. But can these practices alone keep a neighborhood safe? We’ll talk about what resources exist, what resources are needed, and the role of police and the legal system in addressing the crisis.

Episode 6 synopsis (watch clip) : Councilmember Maria Quiñones-Sanchez guides Krasner through the politics of Kensington, the neighborhood at the center of the heroin and violence epidemics as crime continues to rise.

Moderator: Chris McClean, former Philadelphia Police Officer
Panelists: Councilmember Maria Quiñones-Sánchez | Inspector Javier Rodriguez, Philadelphia Police
 

Tuesday June 21 | 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Let’s Talk: Philly D.A. | Cash Bail and Community-Based Solutions

Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library | 125 South 52nd Street 19139

Free tickets, but please RSVP on Eventbrite

Cash Bail has been a hot topic in Philadelphia over the past couple of years. In this discussion we will dig deeper into pre-entry, bail navigators, and community contributions and advocacy and how all this plays a role in community safety.

Episode 8 synopsis (watch clip) : Krasner recruits law students to become the next generation of prosecutors. The local activists who campaigned for Krasner’s election are frustrated by the pace of change. Krasner’s team faces the limits of their power to end cash bail, while the new cohort of prosecutors, including former police officer Pernell Jackson, look to reimagine the office.

Moderator: Cherri Gregg, WHYY
Panelist: Reuben Jones, Community Bail Fund |  Hassan Bennett, Bail Navigator
 

Wednesday June 22, 2022 | 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Let’s Talk: Philly D.A. | Police Misconduct and Accountability

Chestnut Hill Library | 8711 Germantown Avenue 19118

Free tickets, but please RSVP on Eventbrite

How do we hold people in power accountable? Whether it’s done by police or elected and appointed officials, when misconduct happens how can those outside the legal system seek justice? We will discuss with community activists and city officials what’s working, what isn’t, and how this ultimately affects the safety of a neighborhood.

Episode 2 synopsis (watch clip) : Krasner and his team battle the police for access to the complete misconduct files while trying to prevent officers with a history of lying from testifying  in court.

Moderator: Tamela Edwards, 6 ABC
Panelist: David Rudovsky, attorney
 

Saturday June 25, 2022 | 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Let’s Talk: Philly D.A. | Police involved shootings

Kingsessing Library | 1201 South 51st Street 19143 (51st between Chester and Kingsessing Ave)

Free tickets, but please RSVP on Eventbrite for this special after-hours Saturday event

What can we do when the people charged with protecting us are the same people who put us in danger? Who and what are really being protected by law enforcement and the criminal legal system? Drawing from a local case of police violence against an unarmed Black man we will discuss if and how justice can be attained through the legal system, the power of collective organizing, and what is needed to make real change.

Episode 7 synopsis (watch clip) : Krasner’s team makes history by charging an on-duty police officer with murder for shooting a Black man in the back. The family of the victim, David Jones, hopes for justice. Yet Krasner’s prosecution faces an uphill battle because of the police union and state laws that protect cops.

Moderator: Rev. Dr. Calenthia Dowdy
Panelists: State Representative Rick Krajewski | Geo Maher, Visiting Associate Professor of Political Science, Vassar College | Officer Arnold Mitchell, Philadelphia Police
 

Monday June 27, 2022 | 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Let’s Talk: Philly D.A. | Series Closing : What We’ve Learned

Parkway Central Library | 1901 Vine Street 19103

Free tickets, but please RSVP on Eventbrite for this special after hours event

To close out the Let’s Talk: Philly D.A. discussion series we will share clips from multiple Philly D.A. episodes, and hear from Larry Krasner himself as well as moderators and participants from the different library events; what they took away from the discussion, and what common needs were heard across different neighborhoods in Philly. With invited city officials, community leaders, and scholars, this will be an opportunity to talk through some of the attainable and actionable solutions for our city.

Moderator: Chris “Flood the Drummer” Norris, WHYY
Panelist: Larry Krasner, District Attorney

**Philly D.A. is a sponsored project of the Auburn Theological Seminary made possible by a grant from Wyncote Foundation.**