Author Archives: David R. Eshelman
Eagles Players Head to Harrisburg to Push Criminal Justice Reform
Philadelphia Eagles players Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Long and Torrey Smith recently traveled to Harrisburg to lobby the state legislature for criminal justice reform. The three are actively involved with The Players Coalition, which, among other things, is active in advocating for reforms to the criminal justice system nationwide. While in front of the legislature, they […]
State Lawmaker Pushes Marijuana Legalization After Study Shows Racial Disparity in Arrests
After a recent report reflected major racial disparities in the enforcement of marijuana crimes in Pennsylvania, State Rep. Ed Gainey of Pittsburgh decided to push to legalize (or at least decriminalize) the drug. A new resolution Rep. Gainey introduced into the state House of Representatives would “establish an advisory committee to conduct an ongoing study […]
Pennsylvania Legislature to Consider Bills to End License Suspensions for Non-Driving Offenses
Certain criminal offenses, including many drug crimes, may lead to the loss or suspension of a driver’s license in Pennsylvania. For example, those convicted of drug offenses and who serve several months in prison could complete their sentences and still have their licenses under suspension. There are now several bills pending in the Pennsylvania legislature […]
Criminal Threats: Not a Form of Protected Speech
Although the U.S. Constitution guarantees all citizens the right to free speech, that right does not protect all forms of speech. There are long-recognized limitations on what exactly constitutes free speech. There are, for example, prohibitions against libel, slander and criminal threats. A criminal threat involves one person threatening another with physical harm. This threat […]
Can I Go to Jail for Selling Fake Drugs?
From time to time, we hear a story about someone purchasing baking powder that the seller claimed to be cocaine or aspirin the seller passed off as OxyContin. In these situations, can the person who sold the “drugs” be sent to jail — even if the substances themselves were not real drugs? The short answer […]
What to Know About Juvenile Drug Possession
If you are an adult and you’ve been charged with a drug possession crime, your case would go through the regular court system. This process works differently for minors, who typically go through the juvenile court system instead. Any person under 18 who knowingly possess an illegal or controlled substance without a legal justification may […]
Major Pennsylvania Heroin Ring Busted Over the Summer
It was a big summer for law enforcement in Pennsylvania when it came to drugs. One of the biggest headlines was the bust of a $7.8 million heroin drug ring in the central part of the state, leading to 16 people being charged in connection to the drug trafficking system. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro […]
Berks County Man Faces Prison Time for DUI Causing Death
A man from Berks County faces up to 23 months in prison for his role in a crash that killed a passenger in his vehicle. Adam McIlvee, 23, was sentenced to up to 23 months in jail, followed by an additional five years of probation. He pleaded guilty in June to charges of driving under […]
New Pennsylvania DUI Laws Target First-Time Offenders
The state of Pennsylvania recently enacted new rules on how it penalizes first-time offenders who have been convicted of driving under the influence (DUI). As of August, the state has a new ignition interlock law, making first-time offenders eligible to have an ignition interlock system installed in their vehicle. Previously, these drivers could only have […]
