April 5, 2022DAVID SWANSON / Philadelphia InquirerWATCH: A free virtual panel on Pa.’s medical release law for state prisonersby Spotlight PA StaffSpotlight PA hosted a free discussion on the state’s compassionate release law and its impact on families of incarcerated people and taxpayers.
April 5, 2022Leise Hook / For Spotlight PAPennsylvania’s broken ‘compassionate release’ law, by the numbersby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PAPennsylvania’s narrow criteria for “compassionate release” has resulted in only 31 people successfully making use of the program in 13 years.
March 30, 2022Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAParents of teen shot by Pennsylvania State Police sue troopers, local DAby Gary Harki of Spotlight PA and Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PAThe lawsuit accuses troopers of using excessive force and the district attorney of misleading the public in connection with the December 2020 killing of Christian Hall.
March 30, 2022Leise Hook / For Spotlight PABroken ‘compassionate release’ rules strand Pa.’s sickest prisoners as costs to taxpayers soarby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PAThere is bipartisan agreement that it’s too hard for people serving life in prison to get out when they are aging and ailing. But two proposals to change that face an uncertain future.
March 21, 2022Kent M. Wilhelm / Spotlight PAJudge admonishes Pa. State Police for response to request seeking email, phone recordsby Gary Harki of Spotlight PAThe rare public records lawsuit centers on whether data held by the agency’s cell phone provider must be turned over in response to a state Right-to-Know request.
March 16, 2022Ed Mahon / PA PostSpotlight PA joins 4 state newsrooms in fighting alleged First Amendment violations in York Countyby Jamie Martines of Spotlight PAThe federal civil rights lawsuit seeks to end the York County Clerk of Courts practice of reviewing and redacting records before they are released to the public.
Feb. 24, 2022DAN GLEITER / PennLivePennsylvania State Police push back on panel recommendation requiring independent investigations when troopers kill, injureby Gary Harki of Spotlight PAWhile the State Police agreed to make changes or consider policy revisions based on a state oversight committee’s recommendations, they did not give up the ability to investigate their own.
Dec. 30, 2021Steven M. Falk / Philadelphia InquirerChristian Hall was killed one year ago by Pa. State Police. His family still wants answers.by Gary Harki of Spotlight PAActivists and Hall’s family are holding vigils in more than a dozen locations to remember the 19-year-old’s life and show officials they will not forget about his death.
Dec. 10, 2021JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerInvestigations of Pennsylvania State Police troopers who injure, kill should be independent, panel saysby Gary Harki of Spotlight PAThe proposed reform comes amid increased scrutiny of the nearly unchecked power of local district attorneys in Pennsylvania to decide whether or not to bring charges against police officers.
Dec. 9, 2021Bob Donaldson / Post-GazetteDistrict attorney consulted with Pennsylvania State Police before shooting, then ruled it justifiedby Gary Harki of Spotlight PAThe case has become the impetus for sweeping new recommendations to reform who investigates state troopers when they injure or kill someone.
Dec. 3, 2021ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Philadelphia InquirerWATCH: A free discussion on why killings by police officers often are ruled justifiedby Spotlight PA StaffWatch Spotlight PA's panel on why killings by police officers often are ruled justified.
Nov. 22, 2021Fred Adams for Spotlight PA / NBC NewsWhat you need to know about the killing of Christian Hall, 19, by Pennsylvania State Policeby Gary Harki of Spotlight PAHis parents are calling for a new investigation nearly a year after his death.
Nov. 18, 2021Screenshot of PA State Police videoChristian Hall, 19, had his hands up when police fatally shot him, videos showby Gary Harki of Spotlight PAAuthorities obscured the last four seconds of Christian Hall’s life in publicly released videos. New footage is prompting calls for an independent investigation.
Nov. 18, 2021Commonwealth Media ServicesWho investigates police killings in Pennsylvania, and why there are few checks and balancesby Gary Harki of Spotlight PAElected district attorneys who work closely with police decide whether officers should be charged and rarely refer cases to the state attorney general.
July 27, 2021JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerA police killing in Philadelphia could change Pa. use-of-force cases foreverby Colin Deppen of Spotlight PAPhiladelphia’s district attorney wants the state’s highest court to alter the instructions jurors hear before rendering verdicts in cases where police use deadly force.
May 7, 2021Amanda Mills / For Spotlight PAA Pa. prosecutor waited months after receiving a police report to charge a man who shot at protestersby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PA and David Hurst of The Tribune-DemocratCharges were also brought against a marcher who was shot in the face and who police say returned fire.
April 28, 2021JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerHow Pa. troopers use sweating, stuttering during traffic stops to launch vehicle searchesby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PALaw enforcement across the country pull drivers over for alleged, minor traffic infractions with the intent to look for possible criminal activity. Pennsylvania is no exception.
April 22, 2021Courtesy of Pennsylvania Department of CorrectionsWorkers in Pa. prisons, COVID-19 hotspots, aren’t getting vaccinated. Here’s why that’s dangerous.by Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PAApproximately one-fifth of prison staffers have reported being vaccinated, far less than the roughly half of those incarcerated in Pennsylvania facilities.
April 8, 2021MONICA HERNDON / Philadelphia InquirerMajor Pennsylvania state contractor accused of fleecing employees to pump up profitsby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe State College-based construction and paving company has been paid more than $1.7 billion for state projects.
March 26, 2021CHARLES FOX / Philadelphia InquirerHow being sick could result in even stiffer penalties for spitting on Pa. policeby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PAThe bill specifically names HIV, even though the virus is not spread through saliva.
Feb. 17, 2021CHARLES FOX / Philadelphia InquirerPennsylvania State Police will escape legislative scrutiny in 2021 budget processby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PAThe decision comes after a year dominated by policy brutality protests, and amid concerns about illegal vehicle searches and alleged racial profiling of Latinos by troopers.
Dec. 18, 2020TIM TAI / The Philadelphia InquirerAn inmate died of the coronavirus, but Pa. corrections never told his familyby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PAState corrections officials say they are following the law in protecting medical information, but family members and advocates contend they could do more when inmates get sick or die.
Dec. 14, 2020Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. corrections dept. tells officer with COVID-19 symptoms to return to work earlyby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PAA corrections officer was told to come back to work while still showing symptoms. Was it the right thing to do?
Dec. 12, 2020Screenshot by Spotlight PASee how often your local Pa. district judges are actually in the courtroomby Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PAUse our interactive tool to explore our analysis of case proceedings for nearly all of Pennsylvania's more than 500 district judges.
Dec. 10, 2020DAN GLEITER / PennLivePiles of records and months of reporting lead to eye-opening report on Pa. district judgesby Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Christine Vendel of PennLiveA yearlong investigation by PennLive and Spotlight PA included a detailed analysis of more than 3.8 million case events, as well as more than 40 interviews.
Partisan primaries are fueling our political dysfunction but they can be fixed, new book saysAttendApr 19
![Get the top news from across Pennsylvania, plus some fun and a puzzle, all in one free daily email newsletter.](["https://files.data.spotlightpa.org/uploads/01j9/9jza/19.png"] "Get the top news from across Pennsylvania, plus some fun and a puzzle, all in one free daily email newsletter.")