Philadelphia DA Cites Police Misconduct in Prior Murder Case of Officer Slaying Suspect

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner stated that alleged police misconduct, including potentially criminal actions, undermined the 2019 acquittal of Eric Lewis, who now faces charges in the ambush killing of an officer. Lewis, 35, is accused of fatally shooting Philadelphia Police Officer Shane Seiber and wounding his partner in an ambush. He faces charges including murder, homicide of a law enforcement officer, attempted murder, and aggravated assault.

In a video statement Tuesday, Krasner asserted that Lewis was out of custody because the prior murder case was "deeply flawed" with "very serious" errors and mistakes. He specifically pointed to the conduct of one police officer and one detective as "arguably criminal."

Krasner detailed that an officer involved in Lewis's earlier murder case allegedly invented a story about receiving an anonymous tip naming a nonexistent individual called "Spice" as the real killer. The district attorney described this as "obstruction of the administration of justice."

According to Krasner, the judge in the 2019 case notified internal affairs about the incident. He stated that one police officer was fired and another was disciplined, though he did not provide further details. Krasner also mentioned that the officer in that case was in a relationship with the defendant's sister and accused the officer of attempting to "torpedo" his testimony with a false claim.

The Philadelphia Police Department issued a statement responding to Krasner's remarks, saying, "Assigning blame while families are grieving does nothing to advance accountability or support those affected." The department added, "True leadership does not seek to assign fault in a moment like this. It stands with the families. And when the time comes, it holds itself to the same scrutiny it asks of others."

Court records indicate Lewis has a criminal history dating back to 2012, including convictions for theft, receiving stolen property, gun-related offenses, simple assault, and disorderly conduct. Officer Shane Seiber, 40, was an Air Force veteran and father of two who had served 10 years with the Philadelphia Police Department. He is survived by his wife, a 7-year-old son, and a 3-year-old daughter.