The grieving family of a Pennsylvania cop gunned down execution style while on duty is slamming the local prosecutor for refusing to consider the death penalty for his alleged killer.
Temple University Police Officer Chris Fitzgerald, 31, a married father of four, was shot six times in cold blood last year. His accused teen killer is facing a first-degree murder rap.
Now the cop’s devastated family wants justice — but said controversial Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner won’t even take their calls.
“I’m saying that he’s playing big brother, he’s playing God, and what he’s doing is saying that his stance on the death penalty outweighs Pennsylvania’s laws,” the cop’s father, Joel Fitzgerald, told The Post.
“This is his chance of right-sizing his flawed approach to applying potential punishment,” he said. “The bottom line here is that this case hits every prong of a death penalty case and needs to be laid in the hands of a jury or a judge and he’s saying he knows best, and that’s ridiculous.
“Apply the law as it’s meant to be applied and let the chips fall where they may.”
According to police, accused 19-year-old killer Miles Pfeffer scuffled with Fitzgerald when the cop caught him and his pals carjacking a vehicle near the North Philadelphia campus on Feb. 19, 2023.
Prefer allegedly shot Fitzgerald, then ignored the cop’s pleas as he stood over him and fired a half dozen shots before taking off in a stolen car.
The sergeant’s widow, Marissa Fitzgerald, is still haunted by the memory of telling their young children.
“I remember like it was yesterday,” she told The Post. “I remember our 10-year-old coming down and I remember that look in his face, because he had a smile on his face.
“To see that beautiful smile turn upside down when he knew his father wasn’t coming home, that was very difficult,” she said. “Other than having to bury my husband that was the hardest thing I ever had to do. You can only imagine how broken they were when I had to tell them.”
Krasner, a former defense attorney who once bragged about suing police departments, has been mum.
Dustin Slaughter, a spokesperson for Krasner, said the DA’s call is “consistent with his oath to seek justice and uphold the law,” reiterating that he will not seek capital punishment for Pfeffer.
“This decision was made after extensive input over many hours from the family of Officer Fitzgerald, and from experts,” Slaughter said in an email. “The members of the DAO committee that considers possible death penalty matters include attorneys with a cumulative total of hundreds of years of homicide and other criminal trial and appeal experience.
“They reviewed all aspects of the case itself and all obtainable information on the defendant prior to making their recommendations to DA Krasner, who made the final determination,” he said.
Slaughter added that “the input of the family is deeply appreciated and was carefully considered by the committee and DA Krasner prior to his decision.”
Pennsylvania has the death penalty as a sentencing option in first-degree murder cases.
Chris Fitzgerald was a native Philadelphian from a cop family — Joel and Pauline Fitzgerald both have long and distinguished careers in law enforcement that began as police officers in their home city.
Joel Fitzgerald has served as police chief with various departments in Pennsylvania, Texas and Iowa and is currently chief of the Regional Transit District in Denver, Colo.
Pauline Fitzgerald held posts in Stafford, Texas and was a capital murder investigator in Tarrant, Texas.
When his parents got jobs out of state they urged his son to come with him, but Chris wanted to stay and serve the troubled city he grew up in.
“He was born and raised. He chose to stay in that city,” Joel Fitzgerald said. “Until the day he died.”
On the day of his death, he was on duty when he spotted a carjacking in progress and gave chase, catching up with Pfeffer and scuffling with him while pleading with him to give up.
Instead, prosecutors said Pfeffer pulled a gun and shot Fitzgerald — then fired again and again.
Pfeffer allegedly then rifled through the mortally wounded officer’s pockets and took off in a stolen car.
Despite the public grief shown by elected officials in the City of Brotherly Love, the Fitzgeralds say no one has stepped up to help the family’s quest for justice now.
“Their silence is deafening,” Pauline Fitzgerald said. “They were there when he was killed, they wanted to come to the hospital, they talked about how this was a tragedy.
“But it’s radio silence now.”
Her husband agreed.
“Everyone wants a photo op, but now is the time,” Joel Fitzgerald added. “No one will speak up because they’re trying to play well with the district attorney. It’s a cowardly move not to step up.”
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s office did not respond to a request for comment from The Post.
Chris Fitzgerald’s family is also pushing for Pennsylvania AG Michelle Henry to take over the case and appoint a special prosecutor, but a spokesperson for Henry said the office does not comment on cases being handled by other prosecutors and said it’s Krasner’s call on the death penalty.
Pauline Fitzgerald called the whole thing “a slap in the face.”
“We were praying that the brutality of this case would make [Krasner] do the right thing,” she said. “Christopher’s case is so brutal, it was an assassination. I don’t see how you get anything else out of it.”
