Recent Blog Posts
Eric Riddick Released from Prison 29 Years After Wrongful Conviction
In November 1991, Eric Riddick stood on a balcony in Philadelphia and watched in horror as his friend William Catlett was gunned down on the street below. In the summer of 1992, a jury convicted Riddick of murder, and he was sentenced at age 22 to life in prison. For reasons that highlight failures… Read More »
Westmoreland County Couple Arrested on Allegations of Operating Meth Lab
Depending on context, almost anything can be drug paraphernalia. Is that souvenir spoon from the Liberty Bell gift shop hanging on the kitchen wall in its original decorative packaging, or is it on the kitchen counter, coated in residue that might be heroin? Are those tiny plastic baggies full of spare buttons, or are… Read More »
Crum Lynne Man Faces Human Trafficking Charges for Confining Woman to Hotel Room and Forcing Her to Engage in Sex Work
There is a growing movement to legalize sex work, as long as the parties are consenting adults. Proponents of this reform believe that a person has the right to choose whether to trade sexual acts for money. Even those who favor decriminalizing sex work believe that sexual exploitation of others should be illegal; in… Read More »
Man Faces Murder Charges After Originally Telling Police That Baby’s Fatal Injuries Were the Result of an Accidental Fall
In the 1990s, the movie Trainspotting and the book on which it is based scared countless teenagers out of trying drugs, especially heroin. By far the most disturbing part is where baby Dawn dies after all the adults around her, all of whom were under the influence of drugs, forgot to feed her. Last… Read More »
Administrator of Contraband Marketplace Website Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
Laws about drugs are changing, especially at the state level. For example, Pennsylvania, like many other states, is inching closer to completely decriminalizing cannabis possession. Meanwhile, it has enacted Good Samaritan laws to protect bystanders who call for assistance for drug overdose victims from criminal prosecution, even if the bystander is under the influence… Read More »
Shippensburg Man Faces Felony Charges for Soliciting Teen on Facebook Messenger
Every tattoo has a story, but in the case of facial tattoos, the story is never short. Many tattoo artists refuse to apply ink to the faces of clients unless they already have tattoos on other parts of their body, in other words, unless they have already experienced how a person’s feelings toward a… Read More »
Former Director of Emergency Management at University of Pittsburgh Faces Charges for Stealing Personal Protective Equipment from the University and Selling It Online
Sometimes you can find ordinarily expensive items for sale online at much lower prices, and when you do, it feels like a victory, but sometimes there is a dark side. If you ever find Mary Kay cosmetics, Beachbody shakes, or any other products typically sold through a multilevel marketing business model, listed online at… Read More »
Police Revive Man Who Suffered Accidental Overdose at Pittsburgh Mills Walmart
Naloxone, which is also known by the brand name Narcan, can reverse the effects of opioid overdose very quickly. Since it has become available, many people have survived overdoses that would have otherwise been fatal. One of the reasons behind Pennsylvania’s Good Samaritan law, which protects people who call for medical assistance for overdose… Read More »
Doylestown Mom Charged With Harassment for Online Bullying of Daughter’s Cheerleading Teammates
Complaining about the Internet habits of the youth has been a favorite hobby of parents since the mid-90s, when those America Online CDs used to arrive in the mail, and during the pandemic, with kids and parents stuck in the house all day, connected to the outside world only by a Wi-Fi connection, it… Read More »
Greensburg Woman Offered Plea Deal to Drop Felony Charges Related to Wife’s Overdose Death
The pain of losing a loved one to a drug overdose is a devastating experience that many people in Western Pennsylvania know all too well. What is even worse is when other people blame you for not being able to save the person that you desperately didn’t want to lose. Worst of all is… Read More »
