Nicholas Malfitano News
Philly police ignored pleas for help and let man die in custody, his daughter alleges
PHILADELPHIA – A local woman has alleged that the Philadelphia Police Department violated its own policies when it arrested her late father two years ago and failed to subsequently administer medical aid, leading to his death while in custody.
Pa. State Police granted dismissal of claims related to man's brief arrest for marijuana possession
PHILADELPHIA – Pennsylvania State Police authorities have won dismissal of multiple claims made by a Bucks County couple, who alleged the husband-plaintiff was mistakenly arrested for possession of marijuana and incarcerated for five hours, before the authorities dropped all charges and released him.
Equipment operator allegedly fired for Facebook post drops ADA and PHRA claims
SCRANTON – A transportation equipment operator who insisted that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation failed to accommodate his disability and later fired him for alleged comments he made in a Facebook post has conceded claims made under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
Judge denies Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility's attempt to dismiss man's civil rights suit
PHILADELPHIA – A federal judge has denied an attempt by Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and its officials to dismiss a suit from a Delaware County man, who alleged that he was subjected to a lack of medical care and cruel and unusual punishment in violation of his constitutionally protected civil rights, while incarcerated there.
After garage fire, Garnet Valley School District seeks $17K+ damages from bus manufacturer
MEDIA – In response to a fire which took place in its bus garage, the Garnet Valley School District has, through its insurer, filed a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the buses to recover damages it says it sustained.
Sesame Place Philadelphia again refutes class action charges of discrimination against Black children
PHILADELPHIA – SeaWorld's Sesame Place Philadelphia has once again denied charges that employees of the latter park discriminated against the plaintiff’s daughter, a Black child, during a meet-and-greet session with some of the park’s costumed characters.
Lawsuit against Lehigh police chief alleges sexual harassment during sexual harassment training
ALLENTOWN – A female former officer of the Lehigh Township Police Department has alleged that over a five-year period, the Chief of Police targeted her for sexual harassment, discrimination and abuse, creating what she calls a “hostile, toxic and intolerable work environment” which led to her resignation.
Lyft driver shot and killed passenger in Sheetz parking lot in self-defense, reply filing claims
PITTSBURGH – A Lyft driver accused of shooting a 55-year-old man to death in August 2022 in the parking lot of a Sheetz convenience store has claimed that his actions were only taken in self-defense.
Pittsburgh café: Our tea wasn't responsible for burning two-year-old boy in 2019
PITTSBURGH – A Pittsburgh café has denied that its tea was responsible for severely burning a then-two-year-old boy, during a visit to the café by the boy and his mother more than four years ago.
Woman injured during daughter's dance recital seeking default judgment against DoubleTree hotel
PITTSBURGH – Counsel for a woman injured in a Pittsburgh hotel ballroom while watching her daughter’s dance recital and who had alleged that a negligent makeshift table setup used for the event was the proximate cause of her injuries, is now seeking a default judgment against the hotel in question.
Fla. woman insists she was assaulted by staff of Upper Darby hookah lounge
MEDIA – A Florida woman has reiterated that she was violently assaulted by staff members of an Upper Darby hookah lounge, despite its refusal to accept liability for her injuries.
Allegheny County says it was following the rules when rejecting religious reasons for COVID vax refusal
PITTSBURGH – Allegheny County insists that it did not violate its own Home Rule Charter and Administrative Code and that it is immune from a count of negligent infliction of emotional distress, in a lawsuit over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate allegedly violating a plaintiff’s religious objections.
Allegheny County Port Authority denies liability for injuries that bus passenger allegedly suffered
PITTSBURGH – The Port Authority of Allegheny County has denied responsibility for severe arm and shoulder injuries a Pittsburgh woman claimed she suffered, while being a passenger aboard a bus operated by the defendants.
24-year-old man who made false arrest claims against Aliquippa police settles case
PITTSBURGH – A 24-year-old Western Pennsylvania man who claimed that members of the Aliquippa Police Department unlawfully arrested him, assaulted him while he was in custody and filed false affidavits to justify the arrest after the fact, has reached a settlement with the department and the officers in question.
Delaware County GOP sues county and council over selection procedure for board of elections
MEDIA – Delaware County’s Republican Party and its Chairman have launched legal action against the County and its Council, alleging that an ordinance governing the selections of members to the local Board of Elections runs afoul of state election code.
Woman loses lawsuit against Pittsburgh and police officer she says arrested her for not supporting Trump
PITTSBURGH – One Pittsburgh police officer successfully defended himself from a lawsuit brought by a woman who alleged she was unlawfully arrested because she didn’t support former President Donald Trump.
Judge: Greensburg Diocese will not receive bifurcated discovery, in gay former teacher's discrimination case
PITTSBURGH – The Diocese of Greensburg has lost out on its attempt to bifurcate the discovery process, in a lawsuit spurred by its decision to fire a sixth-grade teacher from Aquinas Academy after learning of his same-sex marriage – where it argued that to employ him would be contrary to Catholic values and an infringement upon its rights to religious freedom under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Plaintiff says paper towel dispenser fell on her in Lancaster elementary school
LANCASTER – A Philadelphia woman claims that she suffered full-body injuries when a paper towel dispenser fell from the wall at a Lancaster elementary school and landed on her.
Judge sustains manufacturer's preliminary objections in man's cylindrical cask injury case
PITTSBURGH – A state court judge has sustained preliminary objections from a Turtle Creek-based manufacturer sued by a Western Pennsylvania man who claims that he lost two fingers on his left hand when a heavy-duty cylindrical cask he was helping to load slipped from a skid and crushed his hand.
Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium drops recklessness cross-claims against elevator company co-defendant
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, named in a lawsuit surrounding an escalator which allegedly stopped working and caused the plaintiff to fall forward and sustain a series of severe injuries during a visit two years ago, has dropped its cross-claims of recklessness against its elevator maintenance company co-defendant.