Author Archives: David R. Eshelman
Pennsylvania Lawmaker Wants to End Life Without Parole Sentences
A legislator in Pennsylvania has kicked off an initiative to end life without parole prison sentences. If he is successful, Pennsylvania would be the very first state to remove life without parole as a possibility for any crime. Senate Bill 942 was introduced by Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) in October. A rally for the bill […]
Pennsylvania State Police Encourage Updating DUI Laws
Pennsylvania made medical marijuana legal a little more than a year ago, and dispensaries are beginning to pop up throughout the state. With these changes in drug laws, and with a national movement toward broader legalization of marijuana for both medical and recreational use, state law enforcement officials say lawmakers should prioritize updating Pennsylvania’s driving […]
Pennsylvania Gun Laws Have Hunting Loopholes
In a time when a great deal of national attention is focused on gun laws and access to firearms, Pennsylvania has come under criticism for loopholes that exist in the state’s gun laws. An unusual quirk of the law in Pennsylvania forbids people with certain criminal convictions from carrying guns. However, these same offenders can […]
Penalties for Shoplifting in Pennsylvania
Shoplifting in Pennsylvania comes with serious penalties, including fines and jail time. The degree of these penalties depends on the circumstances of the crime in question. Any merchant or business owner who has reason to believe an individual has shoplifted is legally allowed to detain that individual long enough to determine if a crime has […]
Tampering with Evidence: An Overview
Tampering with evidence of a crime is strictly illegal in all states. But what exactly does this sort of tampering entail? A person may be charged with tampering with evidence of a crime if he or she knowingly falsifies, conceals, destroys or alters evidence (such as a record, document or object) in any way with […]
It’s a Crime to Leave the Scene of an Accident
Hit-and-run laws require all drivers involved in a collision to stop, identify themselves and provide any needed assistance. These laws exist to ensure anyone who is injured in a car accident receives the proper medical assistance and the appropriate financial compensation for damage to themselves or their property. These laws affect everyone involved in an […]
New Year’s Weekend Sees Fewer DUI Arrests, More Crashes
The Pennsylvania State Police arrested 284 people on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) over the three-day stretch from December 30, 2017 to January 1, 2018. This marks a sizeable decline from the previous New Year’s weekend, when 328 arrests were made in the same period of time. However, state police also investigated a […]
Pennsylvania Man Gets 6.5 Years in Prison for Mortgage Fraud
A man from West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison and three years of probation for his role in running a massive mortgage fraud scheme. He was convicted on counts of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. The 50-year-old man pleaded guilty to the charges in August. He had previously owned […]
Expect Higher Costs for Refusing a Breathalyzer Test in 2018
Senate Bill 533 officially took effect January 11. The law mandates certain changes to some of Pennsylvania’s driving under the influence (DUI) laws, including a new fee for people who refuse to submit to a blood alcohol content (BAC) test. These changes come in the wake of a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision that police […]
PA Supreme Court: Nearby Drugs Not Enough Reason to Seize Cash
In a December decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors who attempt to seize money as profits of selling illegal drugs must do more than simply demonstrate the cash and drugs were located in the same place. The case involved a New Jersey man who claimed to have hidden $34,440 from a personal injury […]
