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​PACDL and Montco Office of PD Submit Testimony re: Probation and Parole Reform

PACDL and the Montgomery Office of the Public Defender offered testimony before the Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee in Philadelphia on August 8.  The testimony indicated that "[l]ong probation sentences . . . do little to keep the community safe.  In fact, most re-offenses will occur within one or two years, making longer sentences unnecessary, ineffective, costly and technical violations traps." The full testimony is available.
 

PACDL Issues Statement About Death Penalty Study

The Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL) released the following statement from Bradley A. Winnick, PACDL President in response to the Joint State Government Commission’s Report on Capital Punishment in Pennsylvania: The Report of the Task Force and Advisory Committee.

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PACDL Submits Amicus Briefs In re: Fortieth Statewide Investigating Grand Jury

​​PACDL filed an amicus curiae brief in the case of In re: Fortieth Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, (Nos. 75,77-82,84-89,106 WM 2018) on August 2 with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Western District.  The brief stated that the court failed to consider whether the grand jury report falls within statutorily approved purposes. It also specified that a pre-deprivation hearing is necessary to protect the fundamental constitutional rights of the named private individuals accused in the grand jury report and that the constitutional protections of due process and reputation require more than a "preponderance" standard of proof, at least for named individuals who are not public officials.