General

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

By Jason Dunkle on G+ Murrysville police recently stopped a man driving with an open can of beer, which is a violation of Pennsylvania law. Did the police stop the man solely for an Open Container violation? Probably not. It is more likely that the police stopped the man because he was driving a lawn… view more

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

In what is a somewhat routine fact pattern in Centre County, a traveler on interstate 80 was stopped for a relatively minor traffic violation but a search of the person’s vehicle ultimately led to the discovery of drugs. In this particular case, the Pennsylvania State troopers stopped a man for speeding and decided to only… view more

Posted in Burglary, General on January 12, 2015

While the crime rate overall has decreased in State College over State Patty’s Day weekend, it doesn’t mean that serious crimes do not occur. The police received reports of items missing from the Meridian II apartment building, so the police contacted the realty company that manages the building and reviewed video footage. The video shows… view more

Posted in Assault, General on January 12, 2015

I am sure that many people have heard incidents of recreational golfers sometimes having a few too many drinks while hitting 18 holes, and some of those incidents have resulted in DUI charges because the person drove the golf cart while under the influence. However, a U.S. Open fan recently topped it all. When a… view more

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

Repeat drunk driving offenders in Pennsylvania are often required to install ignition interlock devices in their cars for a period of time before they are able to obtain their driver’s license. An ignition interlock device prevents a person from driving a vehicle until someone blows into the device and no alcohol is detected. A Millersburg… view more

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

Two 13-year-old boys have been charged with Rape and Indecent Assault after they allegedly coerced an 11-year-old girl to perform sex acts on them by threatening to post a previously recorded sexual video of the girl online. The boys recorded the sex act and then posted it online. Some people that viewed  the video then… view more

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

According to a Philadelphia newspaper, a New Jersey man undertook a cost-benefit analysis and felt that it was better to borrow a friend’s car and drive to a court hearing for drug charges instead of missing the court appearance and having a warrant issued. In most criminal cases, a person that has pending misdemeanor or… view more

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

Harrisburg could be the third city to pass laws that would reduce the severity and penalties associated with marijuana possession in Pennsylvania. Currently, a person that possesses up to thirty grams of marijuana for personal use in Pennsylvania is charged with an ungraded misdemeanor offense under 35 P.S. § 780-113(a)(31), and that charge is punishable… view more

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

Mere Encounter or Detention People often question whether or not they are required to stop and talk to a police officer if they are approached on the street. As with almost everything, the answer is “it depends.” There is a distinction in the law between a “mere encounter” with a police officer and an “investigative… view more

Posted in General, Penn State on January 12, 2015

Despite the Penn State football team’s disappointing loss to Ohio State yesterday, Penn State continues to rally in support of the university.  Many outsiders point to the Sandusky travesty and claim that the football program was above the law and bigger than the university.  They use the allegations that school administrators covered up the early… view more