Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Pennsylvania’s Good Samaritan Laws Are A Good Start, But They Still Have Too Many Loopholes
Few things are scarier than seeing someone suffer a drug overdose in your presence. These days, Narcan nasal spray has become widely available enough that, if you happen to have it, you can reverse the effects of opioid overdose simply by administering it to the victim. First responders always carry Narcan, and fear of… Read More »
New Efforts In Pennsylvania To Exonerate Wrongfully Convicted Defendants
The “no double jeopardy” clause in the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution means that, once you are acquitted of a crime, the state or the federal government can never prosecute you for it again. If you plead guilty, you can appeal your conviction but not your sentence. If you plead innocent and then are… Read More »
Harrisburg Resident Faces Criminal Charges For Threatening Parishioners During Church Service
In Pennsylvania, as in many other states, there are plenty of ways to break the law that involve guns but do not involve shooting. It is a crime to use a gun to threaten someone; depending on the circumstances, this could lead to charges of assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, or possession… Read More »
Pittsburgh Emergency Physician Charged With DUI Vehicular Homicide After Accident That Killed Colleague
Insurance companies and personal injury lawyers appear to look at fatal DUI car accidents as number puzzles. This is all part of their job description, determining the chances that the victim would still be alive if he had been wearing a seatbelt and perhaps even assigning a share of the fault for the accident… Read More »
Lancaster Man Arrested For Drug Possession After Alleged Domestic Dispute
Charges of simple possession are far from being the worst-case scenario when it comes to facing criminal charges for drug offenses, but you should still take your drug possession case seriously. If you do not have a criminal record, and if drug possession is the only charge you are facing, you could be eligible… Read More »
Cumberland County Man Faces Criminal Charges For Financial Abuse Of Elderly Family Member
The past two years have seen most families around the country endure a sustained period of financial hardship, and areas that were already struggling financially before the COVID-19 pandemic have suffered the most. While economic necessity can bring out the resilience and resourcefulness in people, when life gives you a steady stream of lemons,… Read More »
Washington Township Man Faces Felony Charges For Witness Intimidation
In some news stories about pending criminal cases, you hear that the defendant is in jail until the trial, but in other cases, you hear that the witness is out on bail. Letting defendants in criminal cases remain free until they are convicted at trial or plead guilty is in line with the legal… Read More »
Driver Who Caused Fatal DUI Collision Gets Prison Sentence
DUI has a reputation for being such a minor offense that criminal defense lawyers sometimes advertise their DUI defense services on big billboards next to the highway, as if getting arrested for DUI was as mundane as buying a burger or filing your income tax returns. It is true that many defendants accused of… Read More »
Pittsburgh Woman Charged With Trespassing And Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia
After the initial panic that you feel when riding in the back of a police car after being arrested, you might start to remind yourself of all the ways that your situation would be worse. Maybe the crime, such as drug possession, can be charged as a misdemeanor. You might be able to avoid… Read More »
Westmoreland Man Gets Three-Year Prison Sentence After Pleading Guilty To Sexual Assault Of Teen
It is easy to use Google to convince yourself that your worst fears are about to come true. If you scroll far enough down the list of search results, you can become 99 percent certain that your headache is a brain tumor, your toddler’s tantrums are a personality disorder, and it is impossible to… Read More »
