PHILADELPHIA (July 31, 2023) — District Attorney Larry Krasner and members of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Homicide and Non-Fatal Shootings Unit announced the conviction of Latonya Griffin (DOB 12/8/1979) for shooting and seriously injuring a man in the city’s Kensington section in the early morning hours of June 8, 2022. A Philadelphia jury found Griffin guilty of Aggravated Assault (F1) and Possession of an Instrument of Crime (M1).The shooting occurred on the 1800 block of Wishart Street. The motive for the shooting remains unknown. Assistant District Attorney Trey Flynn utilized various angles of surveillance video, which depicted the defendant getting into an argument with the victim shortly before shooting the victim in the abdomen. Using these videos, ADA Flynn convinced the jury that Griffin’s self-defense claim was fabricated. Videos then showed her casually leaving the scene while the victim writhed on the ground. The victim could not be located to testify in this case.Despite repeated objections from ADA Flynn, the defendant remains out of custody and on house arrest before her sentencing, which is currently scheduled for September 25, 2023.“Despite having a key witness — the victim himself, in this case — not available to testify, Assistant District Attorney Flynn skillfully secured a conviction in this bizarre and disturbing case,” said DA Krasner. “It’s also important to lift up SEPTA for giving investigators access to critically important video. And finally, this case underscores how our current cash bail system does nothing to improve public safety, as this defendant was out on unsecured bail before her jury trial, and currently remains out of custody despite being found guilty of shooting and seriously wounding an individual.”
“It’s often difficult to successfully prosecute a case when you have an uncooperative witness,” said ADA Flynn. “Thankfully, however, excellent investigatory work from the Philadelphia Police Department and powerful SEPTA surveillance cameras helped fill the void and secure justice in this case.”
CONTACT:Dustin Slaughter, 215-686-8713, [email protected]
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The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is the largest prosecutor’s office in Pennsylvania, and one of the largest in the nation. It serves the more than 1.5 million residents of the City and County of Philadelphia, employing 600 lawyers, detectives, and support staff. The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for the prosecution of approximately 40,000 criminal cases annually. Learn more about the DAO by visiting PhillyDA.org.