Category Archives: Criminal Defense
Bill to Restore Mandatory Minimum Sentences Gets Support from Law Enforcement Community
District attorneys across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have come out in full support of the restoration of mandatory minimum sentences for certain offenses. Likely crimes that would be tied to these mandatory minimums would be those involving children, drugs and the elderly. The bill, HB 741, has already been passed in a vote out of […]
Dog Owners Can Be Criminally Liable for Serious and Deadly Attacks
The horrific mauling in January 2017 of a 96-year-old Germantown woman by a pair of dogs raises the specter of criminal liability for the owner of the dogs. Pennsylvania law offers great protection to dog owners, so victims bringing civil lawsuits or pressing criminal charges often have a tough case to make. Pennsylvania is a […]
Degrees of Homicide Under Pennsylvania Law
Pennsylvania Criminal Homicide Offenses The unlawful taking of a human life is the most serious offense in our criminal code. But not all killings are equal. Here is a brief summary of Pennsylvania’s law of criminal homicide: Murder in the first degree — An “intentional killing.” Here the statute provides a further definition: “Killing by […]
What Is the Law on Parental Kidnapping in Pennsylvania?
According to The Herald of Sharon, Pennsylvania, a Sharpsville man was recently charged with the murder of his girlfriend and the kidnapping of their eight-month-old daughter. If the authorities are correct, this is a shocking crime to contemplate. But, unfortunately, child custody disputes often cross the line from civil court disputes to criminal violations. Although […]
What Exactly Is the Crime of Burglary in Pennsylvania?
A Reading man was recently arrested for a crime spree that included several burglaries of businesses in Lancaster County. Most people understand that burglary has something to do with the illegal entry of a premises and is generally connected to theft. But what exactly do prosecutors have to prove to secure a conviction for burglary? […]
Reading Police Warn of Holdups Targeting Small Businesses
December 2016 ended with a crime spree in northeast Reading. Three small businesses — San Francisco Deli in the 700 block of North 13th Street, M&M Multi Service on North Ninth Street, and Amanda Grocery on Buttonwood Street — were robbed by a masked gunman. According to WFMZ TV, the robber was described in two […]
Ex-Congressman Begins Serving Sentence for Public Corruption
On Wednesday, January 27, 2017, Chaka Fattah, the ex U.S. Congressman from Philadelphia, began serving a 10-year prison term at the federal prison in Lewis Run, Pennsylvania, for crimes related to public corruption that include racketeering, bribery, money laundering, and fraud. Indicted in 2015, Fattah, 59, ran for re-election in 2016. He lost his primary […]
Should You Tell Your Attorney You’re Guilty of a Crime?
Many people who retain the services of a criminal defense attorney struggle with deciding if they should admit to their legal counsel that they are guilty of a crime. This is an understandable concern, but ultimately you must remember it is the job of the judge or jury to determine guilt — not your attorney. […]
What is False Arrest?
False arrest, also occasionally referred to as wrongful arrest or false imprisonment, occurs when you are illegally held in custody or against your will. This crime may be committed by regular people and law enforcement agents alike — all it takes is someone acting outside of the scope of his or her legal authority. False […]
Pennsylvania Police Run Voter Fraud Sting Operation Before Election
In the lead-up to November’s election day, Pennsylvania state police raided two different offices of a voter registration group, FieldWorks LLC. Officers raided the organization’s Philadelphia office just days after searching the group’s Delaware County office. According to a report from the Philadelphia Inquirer, the police had a warrant to search for forms that could […]
