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Attorneys with Disciplinary Records Part of Flaw in Pennsylvania’s Death Penalty System
In February 2015, just a month into his term as Pennsylvania’s Governor, Tom Wolf imposed a moratorium on capital punishment in the state, calling it “error prone, expensive and anything but infallible.” [See: PLN, Feb. 2016, p.44].
Afterwards, the Reading Eagle issued a report that pinpointed the largest …
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More from this issue:
- Ohio Pays More Than $9.6 Million to Three Men Wrongfully Convicted in 1975 Murder, by Lonnie Burton
- Federal Transgender Prisoner Allowed to Wear Feminine Clothing at Video Trial
- New Jersey: Jail Time for Unpaid Littering Fine Results in Civil Suit
- Fifth Circuit Holds Court May Compel Attorney to Represent Indigent Prisoner, by Matthew Clarke
- Texas Court of Appeals Upholds Termination of Prisoners’ Parental Rights
- Colorado: Demonstrators Clash with Police over Seizure of Jury Nullification Pamphlets, by Joe Watson
- Prisoner Suicides and Attempts Increasing in Texas, by Matthew Clarke
- Attorneys with Disciplinary Records Part of Flaw in Pennsylvania’s Death Penalty System, by David Reutter
- Louisiana’s High Incarceration Rate Economically Motivated, by David Reutter
- Fifth Circuit: Staff Misleading Prisoner about Grievance Process Excuses Failure to Exhaust, by Matthew Clarke
- New Jersey Appellate Court Modifies Use of Polygraphs for Paroled Sex Offenders
- Local Police Department Disbanded in Wake of Speed Trap Embezzlement Scheme, by Christopher Zoukis
- The Financial Firm that Cornered the Market on Jails, by Arun Gupta
- Ohio: Garnishment from Exempt Funds in Prison Account States Mandamus Claim
- Despite Lack of State License, ICE Family Detention Center Continues Operating
- Settlement in Baltimore Prison Conditions Class-action Suit
- Defense Attorneys Seek Access to DNA-Matching Software’s Source Code, by Matthew Clarke
- Texas District Attorney and Prosecutor Accused, Cleared of Misconduct, by Matthew Clarke
- Prisoner’s Escape from Illinois Jail Aided by Former Guard, Incompetence, by Christopher Zoukis
- Jailers in California, Georgia Acquitted of Abusing Prisoners, by Matthew Clarke
- Philadelphia Prison Guards Face Prison Time for Contraband Smuggling
- Rikers Island Guard Trainers Lose Lawsuit for Failure to Repay Loan
- Arkansas Judge Resigns after Sexual Favors Allegations
- Peanut Company Executives Appeal Prison Sentences in Rare Corporate Prosecution, by Christopher Zoukis
- Michigan Jail Prisoner’s Family Sues over Death after Beating by Guards
- Tenth Circuit Reverses Qualified Immunity for Prisoner’s Rape, Affirms for One Jailer
- Prisoners Say They Paid a Bloody Price for a Guard’s Injury, by Tom Robbins
- Australia, New Zealand and UK Have Higher Proportion of Prisoners in Private Prisons
- Overcrowding in Arkansas Prisons, Jails Spurs Call for Reforms, by David Reutter
- Georgia: Dozens of Indictments for Prison Contraband Smuggling, by David Reutter
- Youths Still Dying in Florida Juvenile Detention Centers from Abuse, Neglect, by David Reutter
- Georgia Prisoner Caught Sneaking into Prison Charged with Escape
- Michigan Prison Officials Held in Contempt for Violating Ramadan Order, by David Reutter
- Study Examines Professional License Restrictions for Ex-offenders, by Derek Gilna
- Federal Strikes Do Not Count as Strikes for Georgia PLRA
- Delaware Prisoners Demand Education, Rehabilitation, by Monte McCoin
- $60,000 for Nevada Prisoner Forced to Remove His Own Teeth, by Derek Gilna
- Chicago Pays $4.95 Million to Family of Prisoner Who Died After Police Beating, by Lonnie Burton
- Red Light Traffic Camera CEO Sentenced for Corruption in Ohio and Illinois
- Ban the Box Movement Spreads to More States, Municipalities
- New York Prisoner’s $150,001 Judgment Reversed Due to Hearsay Evidence
- Judge Orders Missouri DOC to Disclose Names of Pharmacies that Supply Execution Drugs; Appellate Court Reverses, by Lonnie Burton
- Medicare Penalties Await Released Prisoners Who Apply After Age 65, by Derek Gilna
- $1.5M Settlement in Oklahoma Jail Beating, by Lonnie Burton
- PCI Announces 2016 Awards for Private Prison Activism, Advocacy and News Reporting
- Tragic Justice: Wrongfully Convicted Prisoners Die Shortly After Exoneration, by Matthew Clarke
- The Violent American Epidemic You Won’t Hear About: Why Prison Abuse Goes Unreported and Unpunished, by Daniel Denvir
- When an Old Law Makes it Hard to Fix a Troubled Jail, by Alysia Santo
- Obama Sets Record for Commutations Granted, and for Those Denied, by Derek Gilna
- Federal Court Certifies Class in Texas Prison Excessive Heat Lawsuit, by Matthew Clarke
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Escape is Latest Problem at Troubled Privately-run Texas Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- News in Brief
More from David Reutter:
- Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026
- Florida Supreme Court Announces Rule 3.170(f)’s Good-Cause Plea-Withdrawal Standard Does Not Apply at Post-Appeal Resentencing, April 1, 2026
- Colorado Supreme Court Announces Defendant Must Be Competent Before Undergoing Mental-Condition Examination Under § 16-8-107(3)(b), April 1, 2026
- California Court of Appeal Announces Plea Agreements Cannot Bar § 1172.1 Resentencing, Holds Merit-Based Denial of Petition Is Appealable, April 1, 2026
- Georgia Supreme Court Clarifies That Failure to Object to Ineligible Juror Does Not Constitute Waiver Unless Party Knew or Could Have Discovered Ineligibility Through Ordinary Diligence, April 1, 2026
- Washington State Guard’s Conviction Affirmed in Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Scheme, March 1, 2026
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Holds Motion Judge Abused Discretion by Denying Evidentiary Hearing on IAC Claim Where Plea Counsel’s Affidavit Was Not Inherently Inconsistent With Colloquy Statements Regarding Immigration Advice, March 1, 2026
- Washington Supreme Court Clarifies Double Jeopardy Analysis for Multiple Assault Convictions, Holding That Assaultive Acts Occurring Over Short Time Period in Same Location Without Intervening Events Constitute Single Course of Conduct, March 1, 2026
- New Jersey Supreme Court Reverses Drug Convictions Under Cumulative Error Doctrine, Holding Combined Effect of Improper References to Television Series, Gun Violence, and Search Warrants Deprived Defendant of Fair Trial, March 1, 2026
- New York Court of Appeals Announces Coercive Police Tactics Compelling Suspect to Exit Home Constitute “Constructive Entry” Violating Payton, Holds Attenuation Analysis Applies to Third-Party Consent, March 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Alabama Barred from Executing Prisoner by Nitrogen Hypoxia, July 1, 2026. Totality of Conditions, Eighth Amendment, Death Penalty, Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Wrongful Use of Force.
- Idaho Will Recruit Law Enforcement Volunteers for Firing Squad Executions, July 1, 2026. Death Penalty, Method of Execution.
- Texas Executes 600th Prisoner Since Reinstating Death Penalty in 1976, June 1, 2026. Racial Discrimination, Statistics/Trends, Death Penalty, Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disability.
- Idaho Moves Closer to Firing Squad Executions, May 1, 2026. Death Penalty, State Legislation, Method of Execution, Lethal Injection Method of Execution.
- Trump Approves Firing Squads for Federal Executions, May 1, 2026. Death Penalty, Domestic Violence, Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Method of Execution, Hate Crimes.
- Texas Prisoner Declared Innocent 70 Years After Execution, March 1, 2026. Racial Discrimination, Death Penalty, False Confessions, Eyewitness Identification, Prosecutorial Misconduct.
- Dissenter Excoriates SCOTUS for Denying Certiorari in Challenge to Constitutionality of Nitrogen Hypoxia Execution, Feb. 1, 2026. Death Penalty, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Capital Punishment, Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Method of Execution.
- California Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Ripped Off Prisoner, Feb. 1, 2026. Attorney Misconduct, Court Appearances, Trials, Abuse of Discretion Standard, Access To Courts.
- 2025 Was a Deadly Year for Veterans Behind Bars, Jan. 1, 2026. Brain Injury, Death Penalty, Mental Health, Veterans, Mental Health Experts.
- Ninth Circuit Grants Equitable Tolling Under AEDPA Where Attorney Abandoned Prisoner by Failing to Communicate for Nine Months and Prison Officials Delayed Processing Filing Documents, Dec. 15, 2025. Attorney Misconduct, Legal Materials, Law Library Access/Adequacy, Limitations, AEDPA.

