General
Man Not Guilty of Homicide After Crashing into Off-Duty Police OfficerPosted in General on January 12, 2015
A man had been charged in Philadelphia with Homicide by Vehicle and Involuntary Manslaughter after he was involved in a car accident that left an off-duty Philadelphia police officer dead. According the philly.com article, the officer was riding a bike towards the man’s vehicle when the officer was struck and killed. While it sounds like… view more
Pennsylvania College Student Charge With Jogging While DrunkPosted in General, Public Drunkenness on January 12, 2015
As a State College criminal defense attorney, I have heard many fact patterns involving how students at Penn State, Lock Haven, and Juniata have been charged with Underage Drinking and Public Drunkenness. However, I recently read an article in which a DeSales University student was stopped by police after he was drunk jogging along a… view more
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Holds Drug-Free School Zone UnconstitutionalPosted in General on January 12, 2015
In a very important decision for lawyers across the state of Pennsylvania, but especially important for defense lawyers in State College that handle drug distribution and possession with intent to deliver cases, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is holding that the drug-free school zone law is unconstitutional and cannot be used by prosecutors or imposed by… view more
Compassionate Judge Spends Night in Jail with Sentenced VeteranPosted in General on January 12, 2015
As a criminal defense lawyer, I am before judges quite frequently for sentencing hearings. Because my law firm is located in State College, I represent a lot of Penn State students that get into trouble, often as a result of having a bit too much to drink. Most of my clients are good people at… view more
Will Higher Fines Reduce Underage Drinking in State College?Posted in General on January 12, 2015
Penn State Underage Drinking Problem Centre County Senator Jake Corman has proposed amendments to Pennsylvania law that would increase the maximum fine for Underage Drinking and Public Drunkenness to $1,000.00. I believe that it is safe to presume that Senator Corman’s proposal was not intended to garner votes amongst the 40,000 Penn State students at… view more
Penn State Files Motion in Centre County Court to Delay McQueary’s LawsuitPosted in General, Penn State on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ Former Penn State assistant football coach Mike McQueary is suing Penn State for defamation and a whistleblower claim, seeking $4 million dollars in lost wages and legal fees. McQueary, a former Penn State football coach, claims that his mistreatment by Penn State damaged his reputation and thereby damaged his ability… view more
Would Cardboard Cops Reduce State College Retail Theft Cases?Posted in General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ I recently read an article that a supermarket in England used a life-sized cardboard cutout of a police officer as a “scarecrow” of sorts to curb retail theft. According to the article, the cutout actually reduced theft incidents by 75%. Not so surprisingly, some practical jokers stole the cutout and… view more
Topless Woman Under Influence of Bath Salts Charged With Public Drunkenness in Centre CountyPosted in General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ Rockview State Police recently filed a charge Public Drunkenness before a Centre County district court against a Bellefonte woman after they found her walking topless near the State College Nittany Mall. The police stopped the woman to investigate, and they came to the conclusion that she was under the influence… view more
Possible Changes to Pennsylvania Assault Law to Protect ChildrenPosted in General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ The Pennsylvania legislature is currently considering a proposal to amend the Simple Assault and Aggravated Assault laws to impose stiffer punishments for assault charges against children. The proposed changes were just approved by the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives and still must be considered by the entire House…. view more
Driving Drunk at Over 127 Miles Per Hour With Children in Car?Posted in General, Recklessly Endangering Another Person on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ A Florida man was recently charged with DUI, Child Cruelty, and Reckless Driving after the police clocked him driving drunk at over 127 mph with three small children in the car. Just last year, Pennsylvania modified its DUI law to increase the penalties for a conviction of DUI in which… view more