General
Pennsylvania Superior Court Holds Drug Free School Zone Mandatory Sentence UnconstitutionalPosted in General on January 12, 2015
Many of the drug-related mandatory minimum sentences are being challenged across the state and across the country following the Alleyne decision that was issued by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Pennsylvania Superior Court had issued opinions that drug-related mandatory sentencing laws were unconstitutional, but because the court did not expressly rule on the drug-free school… view more
Underage Drinking and Marijuana Use by Pennsylvania High School SeniorsPosted in General on January 12, 2015
According to a recent article, the percentage of high school seniors and even younger students that have consumed alcohol in Pennsylvania is higher than the national average. The article draws its data information from a 2013 Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency report. Pennsylvania Underage Drinking Numbers The number of high school seniors that have… view more
Drug Dealing in the 21st Century – Not Walking Streets, Instead Posting on CraigslistPosted in General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ In a recent blog, I discussed how a Chicago lawyer got into hot water with the state ethics board after he submitted a help wanted ad for a legal assistant that was willing to provide sexual services on Craigslist. While the actions of the lawyer only resulted in ethical violations… view more
Pittsburgh DUI – How Many Drinks to Reach .19% Blood Alcohol LevelPosted in Centre County DUI, General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ According to news reports in Pittsburgh, a rookie Pittsburgh Steeler’s player was charged with many criminal offense s, including felony counts of Fleeing and Eluding, Aggravated Assault while DUI, and Aggravated Assault, as well as misdemeanor charges of DUI and Resisting Arrest. It is alleged that the player refused to… view more
Impact of Pennsylvania’s “Good Samaritan” Law on Penn State Underage DrinkersPosted in General, Penn State on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ A few years ago, I had a client that had been engaged in underage drinking at Penn State with some friends, and one of the friends over-imbibed and needed medical assistance. My client wanted to get help for his friend but didn’t want to be caught for Underage Drinking. Instead… view more
Should Private Ownership of Firearms Be Banned in the United States?Posted in Constitutional Rights, General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ During the halftime break of the Sunday night football game, Bob Costas read and put his support behind a newspaper editorial that basically blamed the recent murder-suicide tragedy in Kansas City on gun ownership and called for a ban on firearms. In case you didn’t read about the incident, it… view more
Life Sentence Imposed for Possessor of Kiddie PornPosted in Appeal, General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ A federal appeals court in Philadelphia recently upheld a life sentence imposed on a Delaware man after he was convicted of possession of child pornography, attempting to produce child pornography, and attempting to coerce and entice a child to commit a violation of the law. In eight years of being… view more
Pizza Delivery Man Arrested For Delivering CocainePosted in General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ A New York pizza man chose to supplement his salary by trafficking relatively large quantities of cocaine and is alleged to have sold more than $40,000.00 worth of drugs over the past year. I could better understand if the man was delivering marijuana and food as the purchasers would be… view more
Two DUIs Lead to Death of Pennsylvania Volunteer FiremanPosted in General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ A Loganville, Pennsylvania volunteer fireman responded to a DUI-related accident, and, while directing traffic, a second drunk driver drove around the parked emergency vehicle and then struck and killed the fireman. It is very sad that a 45-year-old man lost his life while trying to help others. The criminal justice… view more
Man Involved in Riot Caught After “Liking” Photos on Police Facebook PagePosted in Criminal Mischief, General on January 12, 2015
By Jason Dunkle on G+ Growing up, I might have been around some people that engaged in relatively minor pranks that could have resulted in criminal charges of Disorderly Conduct or Criminal Mischief being filed. I also remember some other people jumping a fence and swimming in a public pool after hours, which would have… view more