PA Law Blogs » Criminal Law

Erie County Judge Receives 60-Day Suspension and Probation for Stalking

Admin2 — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:18:30 +0000

An Erie County judge will be suspended for sixty days and faces probation after being accused of stalking five women. The Legal Intelligencer reports that the magisterial district justice’s attorney provided witnesses who supported the claim that the judge has displayed signs of being socially incompetent, depressed, and obsessive compulsive.

The judge’s suspension will be unpaid, but he will still be eligible for medical benefits. The article mentions that the judge’s attorney sought probation in addition to psychiatric treatment while the prosecution suggested that he be removed from his position.

The Erie County magisterial district justice was elected in November 2005. On July 7, 2010, the court determined that the judge had tarnished the reputation of the judicial office by making four young female attorneys and a 17-year-old girl from an underage drinking citation appearance in October 2006 feel uncomfortable. He was found to have frequently called many of these women and he even visited one woman at her office without prior consent and another at her home without notice.

As this case demonstrates, a stalking crime in Pennsylvania is a serious issue that should not be taken lightly. Whether a stalking victim in Pennsylvania knows the person or not, specific laws are in place to protect victims of stalking and punish the individual convicted of unwarranted and even harmful or threatening actions.

Police Apprehend Scranton Man Wanted on Child Rape Charges

Admin2 — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:00:08 +0000

Sex crimes are devastating, especially to young victims, who have their whole lives ahead of them. Parents and guardians can take proactive steps to prevent these incidents by getting a better understanding of sex crime laws in Pennsylvania and by learning how to use the Department of Justice’s Megan’s Law Web site, which lists sex offenders in the area by zip code.

Recently, a 30-year-old Scranton man, accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl, was arrested in New Jersey after he did not show up to a Department of Corrections halfway house where he was serving time for drug charges. According to a news report in The Times-Tribune, the Scranton resident escaped to New Jersey after allegations surfaced that he assaulted the child at her family’s residence in June.

The man has been charged with escape, child rape, aggravated indecent assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child. The man is expected to be extradited to Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.
In such incidents, the victims as well as their families go through a great ordeal recovering from the crime. It is important to keep in mind there are a good number of resources that are available to help PA crime victims in the recovery process, holding guilty parties accountable, and also in acquiring restitution.

Man Faces Prison, Fines in Dog Attack Case

Admin2 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:24:35 +0000

Dog owners have a responsibility to their respective communities to keep their animals restrained. If a dog has been deemed dangerous or vicious, dog owners must follow regulations spelt out by the city or county ordinance – whether it’s muzzling the dog in public places or confining it to a secure place for the safety of visitors and neighbors. Being an irresponsible dog owner in Pennsylvania has its consequences.

In recent news, a 26-year-old man in Erie, Pennsylvania, is facing a seven-year prison term and $50,000 fine in connection with a dog attack case. According to a report in the Erie Times-News, the man pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the dog attack on his 3-year-old niece. The dog, a pit bull mix, attacked the little girl in September causing serious injuries.

Dog owners in Pennsylvania may not only be held civilly liable in dog attack cases. This case shows that Erie County is also criminally prosecuting negligent dog owners. Dog bite victims, especially young children are typically traumatized by the violent attacks and spend significant amounts of time recovering from the physical pain and emotional scarring. In such cases, in Pennsylvania, there are numerous resources available to assist victims protect their rights and obtain fair compensation for their injuries.

Watch Out! Scammers Strike during the Summer

Admin2 — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:00:19 +0000

A recent article in the Reading Eagle talks about how summer is a prime time not only for the beach and traveling, but also for scammers. Pennsylvania State Police have issued a crime alert about scams in the Reading area and other parts of Pennsylvania, which target innocent victims, particularly the elderly. Two hot summer favorites when it comes to scams are home repair scams and thefts that involve diversion or impostor frauds.

Typically, residents are approached by people posing to do home repairs for low cost, such as sealing a driveway or fixing a roof, if paid cash upfront. In other cases, someone approaches the homeowner and distracts him or her when someone else gets in the house and steals property. By the time the victim realizes the crime, the criminals are gone. A good approach to dealing with such situations, really, is to quickly decline the services and report their activities to the authorities.

If planning to go on vacation this summer, please note that many local police departments offer vacation check services. It would be a good idea for residents to take advantage of this free service to protect their homes when they are away on vacation. Please do not become a victim this summer. The key to protecting yourself is to become aware and vigilant.

York County Commissioners Support Anti-Dating Violence Bill

Admin2 — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:05:33 +0000

The York County Commission is supporting a state law, which makes it mandatory for middle schools and high schools in Pennsylvania to include warnings about dating violence in their health education curriculums. According to a news report in The Evening Sun, commissioners passed a resolution endorsing a proposed law that has already cleared the state House.

At the York County Commission’s hearing, the family of a 16-year-old murder victim spoke up to garner support for this law. The girl was killed after being stabbed 16 times a day after her birthday. Apparently, the teen suspect is her ex-boyfriend with whom she had recently broken up. Now, her family hopes that the passage of this law will increase awareness among young people and their parents about dating violence and help prevent such tragedies.

Hopefully, as an outcome of this law, teens will learn how to tell if someone is harassing them and displaying dangerous behavior. A victim in Pennsylvania who has been subjected to such violent acts should promptly inform their families about it. There are many resources available to assist these crime victims to help protect their rights and penalize those responsible for the acts.

Do Crime Victims in Pennsylvania Know about their Legal Rights?

Admin2 — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:00:42 +0000

A recent news investigation found that more than one-third of Pennsylvania crime victims don’t know their rights – simply because these rights are not explained to them. It is a fact that victims of crime in Pennsylvania have legal rights. It is the job of law enforcement officials and prosecutors to explain those rights to them. Based on a report from www.thepittsburghchannel.com, about $27 million of the state’s tax dollars goes to “victim services” in Pennsylvania. But how much of it is really used for that purpose? Are victims really getting those services? Are they even being told that these services exist? This investigation found that victims are often not even told the status of their court cases.

The news agency talked to victims of drunk driving, assault, and identity theft – and discovered that they were are all saying the same thing – they had no idea what was going on with their case. One DUI victim apparently did not even know that the drunk driver who got convicted took a plea deal and was given a six-month probation.

If you are a victim of crime in Pennsylvania, please understand that the Crime Victim Bill of Rights requires that you be informed by law enforcement, as well as by the district attorney’s office, about what is happening with your case. However, the loophole here is that there are no sanctions when the law is being violated. Crime victims’ rights in Pennsylvania are valid and not only entitle individuals to compensation and restitution, but also access to various resources that provide them information about their case, the defendant and their own personal safety.

Philadelphia Police Department Beefs Up Online Presence

Admin2 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:00:19 +0000

Keeping up with the times, the Philadelphia Police Department is going online to help keep criminals off the street. How are they doing this? According to a CBS News report, Philadelphia police officials are changing the way their department is using the World Wide Web. For example, they are posting specific surveillance videos minutes after the crime has been reported. Recently, footage taken immediately after a robbery in a clothing store in Center City was posted online. The police department also uploaded the surveillance video on YouTube.

Not only that, phillypolice.com has a sex offender database for sexual assault in Philadelphia and will soon put up a Facebook page for crime and police matters citywide. Officials say the Philadelphia Police Department’s Web site gets 20,000 additional page views after the Web site has been revamped and beefed up. In the near future, the department also plans on adding apps for iPhone and other smart phones.

This may be a positive and proactive approach taken by the Philadelphia Police Department. Social networking has interestingly changed the nature of police work. This police department seems to understand that these days there is more social interaction online than on the street. However, crime prevention is something that cannot be limited only to the Internet.

Sex Crime Reporting Program Now Available in Pennsylvania

Admin2 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:00:14 +0000

Sex crimes have, arguably, the most serious penalties. One of the consequences of being convicted of a sex crime is to register as a sex offender. Some offenders register themselves, but a majority of them do not. They are either violating terms of parole or probation by living in an area they are not supposed to, or even utilizing a social networking website, such as Facebook or MySpace.

Now, the Parents for Megan’s Law and Crime Victims Center have announced the expansion of the Sex Offender Registration Tips Program (SORT), to include communities in Pennsylvania. According to a Daily Times article, parents will now have access to the Megan’s Law Helpline and the Web site, www.parentsformeganslaw.org, through which they can report sex offenders who are out of compliance with their registration requirements. These leads are then forwarded to local police. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice.

It’s important to remember that victims of sexual assault crimes in Pennsylvania have legal rights. Victims in such cases may wish to contact a Pennsylvania sexual assault victim attorney to help them in their pursuit of compensation, restitution or access to resources to enhance their personal safety. If you are a victim of a crime in Pennsylvania, find out more information about your legal rights and options.

Allentown Deadly Home Invasion Case Goes to Trial

Admin2 — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:54:16 +0000

Amidst Allentown crime prevention measures, it is an unfortunate reality that incidents of violent crime still take place from time to time. While government officials and law enforcement continue to create new laws and campaigns to help curb crime, it is important for victims of violent crimes to understand their legal rights. It is also critical for individuals in Allentown to be familiar with crime reports within the area and to keep informed on the latest ways to stay safe.

While home invasions in Allentown do not occur on a daily basis, these are very serious crimes that may result in serious injury, significant financial loss, and even death. A story from Pennsylvania AP News reports that an Eastern PA man may face the death penalty for a deadly home invasion that took place almost five years ago. The man faces charges for homicide, burglary, robbery and conspiracy in the murder. He was reportedly connected to the crime through DNA evidence. Capital punishment cases are not handled lightly and often involve several complex legal issues.

Victims of violent crime and property crime in Allentown experience many challenges and encounter serious consequences that no one should ever have to endure. Although Pennsylvania is a relatively safe state, 750 murders and 56,000 burglaries took place in 2005. Fortunately, victims of criminal offenses, as well as family members of victims of deadly crimes, are protected under the law.

The Pennsylvania Office of the Victim Advocate (OVA) was created in 1995 to support the rights of victims of crimes at parole and probation hearings. In serving victims of crimes, OVA also keeps victims informed through various forms of assistance, intervention, and by providing notifications, referrals, and information. Pennsylvania crime victims deserve to have their rights protected after enduring their challenging ordeal. If you have been a victim of a violent crime, remember that you are not alone and that help is available to assist you during this tough time.

Reading Hosts Walk to Raise Crime Victim Awareness

Envoca — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:20:25 +0000

Preventing crime begins with awareness and finding ways to deal with violence through nonviolent actions. Reading, PA recently hosted a walk involving hundreds of participants on April 24, 2010 to advocate violent crime prevention and provide a space for victims of violent crimes to join together and also remember those who lost their lives due to violence.

According to a news report covering the event, several different families of victims and victim advocate groups took part in the Crime Victims Walk in West Redding. In taking to the streets peacefully yet passionately, the group of participants hoped to make it known that victims are not alone and that a substantial amount of support does in fact exist and is available.

The Crime Victims Walk served as a reminder of how important it is for friends and families of victims to receive assistance not just immediately after a crime takes place, but on a consistent basis that correlates with the often long-lasting duration of healing and coping with the consequences of violence, assault and abuse.

In sharing their message of crime prevention and awareness to the community of Reading, participants emphasized how essential it is for people out and about in the city to pay attention to their surroundings. Becoming a victim of a crime is something that no one ever expects will happen to them, and hopefully it never does. However, being naïve about potential risks and dangers does no one any justice. The Crime Victims Walk took place also as a way for crime victims not to be forgotten. While acts of violence are unpleasant to relive for anyone, others can benefit from the details of a crime when it is presented in such a way that provides potential actions for a person to avoid certain predicaments or get out of one.

The coordinator of the Crime Victims Walk mentioned the importance of teaching children at a young age the value of solving conflicts through peaceful behavior to help them “become adults who live in a nonviolent way.”

Although Reading, PA is a safe community, it is still prone to the same crimes that bigger cities like Philadelphian and New York City experience. Crime statistics for Reading in 2003 revealed that 946 violent crimes were known to have taken place to law enforcement. This representative number of offenses does not include unreported crimes.

Victims of violent crimes in Reading and throughout the state of Pennsylvania have valid and important legal rights that may entitle a person to compensation, restitution, or access to various resources that provide information about their assailant and their own personal safety. Some of the most sought after means for crime victims based on Pennsylvania crime victim rights have to do with two funds distributed based on statute 11.1101 – Victim Witness Services Fund and the Crime Victim Compensation Fund.