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Attorneys Seek Law Firms as Safe Ports From the Wall Street Storm In the New Term, High Stakes for the High Court Nader Wants Federal Probe in 'Bonusgate' WPIAL Asks PIAA to Do Criminal Check on All Officials Court to Consider Injunction Against Shimkus Newsletters Assessment Court Appeals Onerous
Philadelphia, Florida Law Firms Say Merger Derailed Republican Veep Nominee is No Stranger to Legal Conflict Prison Board Eyeing Options; GEO Group Sets Sights on Exit AG Announces 4 Arrests in Public Corruption Case in Rochester Borough Transgender Inmate Sues Jail Staff, Wardens Legal
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House Panel Moves Toward Impeaching Federal Judge Some Voters Could Be Asked to Cover Campaign Clothing Court: Barr, as Libertarian, Can Stay on Pa. Ballot Federal Judges May Start Sharing Courtrooms Federal Judge: Pa. Township Wrongly Muzzled Chief
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State's Record on Juvenile Lifers Under Scrutiny(Harrisburg) - Erik Van Zant was 14 when he murdered a woman in Philadelphia, a crime that got him a life sentence in 1989. Now 35, Van Zant told the state Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday that he is a changed man who deserves a second chance at freedom. "Just as I once was a child but am no longer, I once committed a crime but am no longer a criminal," he said via video feed from the state prison at Graterford. Ed McCann, chief of the homicide unit with the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, responded that releasing Van Zant would free a dangerous murderer. "Van Zant entered (his victim's) home through her skylight, waited for her to come home, sexually assaulted her, stabbed her repeatedly and threw her down the steps," McCann said. (More) Bill Would Re-Direct InmatesState lawmakers have overwhelmingly passed a package of bills that would save county taxpayers millions by eventually sending to state institutions -- not county jails -- prisoners serving sentences of two to five years. Gov. Ed Rendell indicated he would sign the bills. The move is significant for Bucks and Montgomery counties, which led the state in the number of state-sentenced prisoners serving time in county jail in 2006. The practice costs Bucks' taxpayers about $5 million annually and reform has been a long time coming, Corrections Director Harris Gubernick said. "I can remember this fight going on for two decades," he said. "It is a major, major accomplishment." The legislation appears to greatly reduce if not eliminate judges' discretion as to where an inmate will serve time. (More) Bonusgate Charges Delayed Till After Election(Harrisburg) - Insisting there is too much work and not enough time, Attorney General Tom Corbett said yesterday that he would not bring a fresh round of charges in the 19-month-old Bonusgate probe until after the Nov. 4 election, if at all. "This investigation is like a novel. There are many chapters to this investigation, there are many plots and subplots to this investigation," Corbett said at the monthly luncheon of the Pennsylvania Press Club in Harrisburg, ". . . and it's just not ready." The announcement allows many in the state Capitol, especially Corbett's fellow Republicans, to breathe a bit easier. At least, for now. Two weeks ago, Corbett held out the possibility that he could file additional charges in the probe - now focused on the GOP - before the election, but only if "all the dominoes" line up by September's end. (More)
Senate Backs Early Release for Nonviolent Pa Criminals(Harrisburg) - Legislation designed to move thousands of nonviolent criminals out of Pennsylvania prisons more quickly and rein in booming correctional costs is nearing final approval. After making minor changes to the bill, regarded as the biggest change to the state's criminal-justice system in many years, the Senate approved it, 48-2. Under its key provisions, nonviolent drug offenders in prison could be resentenced to an addiction-treatment program, and nonviolent offenders who behaved well and completed certain programs could be paroled more quickly. All senators from the Philadelphia area voted for the measure. The House, which has approved previous versions of the bill in recent months, is expected to give final approval this week. (More) Court Program Helps Inmates Make a Successful TransitionJumar Smith's past predicted an uncertain future. He had a string of convictions when he was caught with a firearm. Under a tough federal gun law, he ended up with 57 months in prison. But after Smith was released, he was invited into a novel program that seeks to help ex-offenders reenter society. And Smith credits it with helping to steer his journey from ex-con to entrepreneur. "It helps to keep me focused," said Smith, 33, who currently works for his cousin's cleaning service but is planning his own janitorial company and has been thinking about a demolition business and eventually branching into real estate. The program, known officially as the Supervision to Aid Re-Entry (STAR) court, helps with the big problems and the little aggravations that confront someone upon leaving prison. (More) States, Medical Groups Oppose Abortion Rule(Washington) - Several medical associations and 13 state attorneys general voiced their opposition Wednesday to a proposed federal rule that they fear would open the door for hospitals and physicians to deny access to contraception. In late August, the Bush administration proposed stronger job protections for doctors and other health care workers who refuse to participate in abortions because of religious or moral objections. Abortion foes called it a victory for the First Amendment, but abortion rights supporters said they feared the rule could stretch the definition of abortion to include birth control. The public comment period for the proposed rule ends Thursday. As the deadline nears, opponents have orchestrated a highly public call for the administration to rescind the rule. (More) |
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Nobelist Stiglitz Tallies Iraq War's Outrageous Cost: Review
Pew Finds Support for Terror Wanes Among Muslim Publics Amnesty International Report On U.S. Torture Publication of Second Annual Report on Cyberspace
Commission on Crime & Delinquency PA Juvenile Court Judges' Commission PA Board of Probation and Parole Administrative Office of the PA Courts
AmeraCash Solutions Inc. to Sponsor PA Municipality Authorities Conference ASI Names Dennis Whelan as Controller Prominent Business and Finance Attorney Appointed to Pennsylvania Supreme Court Disciplinary Board Eminent Philadelphia Attorney Appointed to Disciplinary Board by Pennsylvania Supreme Court |
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