Shake-Up At District Attorney's Office Includes New First Assistant
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's been a tumultuous two weeks as Philadelphia District Attorney for Larry Krasner. He's fired 33 people and says he's hired 45 new employees. Among the hires is his new first assistant -- an unconventional choice.
Judge Carolyn Temin graduated from law school 60 years ago. She's served as public defender, prosecutor, international court adjudicator and retired as a Common Pleas judge six years ago. So what convinced her to come back as the DA's first assistant?
"I don't consider this coming back because what this office is going to be is very different," Temin said.
She says she feels lucky, at age 83, to be part of the change.
"It's a big moment in history for the development of the justice system in this city," she said.
Temin will oversee matters of law. DA Krasner says he trusts her moral compass.
"She has a pretty amazing institutional memory and insight into how things have been done in the past and can be done better in the future," Krasner said.
He calls it an interim appointment, saying he wants to keep the chain of command flexible. In fact, he says he might not have made it without the state statute that requires a first assistant, because he wants a cabinet style structure. Temin says she has no misgivings and bristles at the suggestion her age might have held her back.
"Age is of no consequence," she said. "My age, the age of the district attorney is of no consequence. The fact that we're able to work together, that's the important thing."
