Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner asked a judge to recuse himself from criminal cases, citing a discrimination complaint by his domestic partner, a former assistant district attorney who left Krasner's office in February.
In the filing, Krasner contended that "a reasonable person" would question Judge Scott DiClaudio's impartiality in cases involving prosecutors.
Ex-assistant district attorney Catherine Smith was fired Feb. 8 and has filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission alleging that she was discriminated against because she is white.
More than 30 assistant district attorneys were fired when Krasner took office in 2018.
DiClaudio, who canceled his entire 39-case docket Tuesday, said the motion would upend thousands of cases. A courts spokesperson said DiClaudio typically hears between 40 and 80 cases per day.
Speaking in court, DiClaudio said that such complaints are supposed to be private and suggested that making it public showed "vindictiveness."
A prosecutor's office official accused him of "expressing hostility toward the commonwealth."
