News from March 2012
Philly police Narcotics Unit captain sues Deputy Commissioner Blackburn over alleged harassment
The captain in charge of the Philadelphia Police Department’s elite Narcotics Unit has filed a federal discrimination complaint against a decorated coworker, alleging, among other things, that the high-ranking commander in the law enforcement agency engaged in a two-and-a-half-year harassment campaign against her.
Commonwealth Court: certain natural gas pipeline records not public
A state appellate court panel reviewing an appeal from a journalist who sought certain records from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has determined that records relating to the safety of natural gas pipelines are not public.
Phila. judge urges appellate court to affirm ruling in security guard slip-and-fall case
A state trial court judge in Philadelphia has asked the appellate court panel hearing a case involving a security guard who slipped on a patch of ice while patrolling a Center City parking garage to uphold the court’s earlier ruling that granted summary judgment to the defendants in the case.
Pa. teacher on indefinite suspension sues district for financial hardship
A teacher with the Coatesville Area School District who has been on indefinite suspension since June 2010 has filed a federal lawsuit against the district, contending the district’s failure to schedule timely hearings in her case has caused her financial hardship and emotional strain.
Filing fees have spiked at Complex Litigation Center
Filing fees taken in at Philadelphia's Complex Litigation Center increased more than 1,000 percent between 2008 and 2009, from $420,453 to nearly $4.8 million.
Pa. House's 'Year of the Bible' resolution challenged in federal court
A resolution passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in January declaring 2012 the “Year of the Bible” has drawn criticism from separation-of-church-and-state proponents.
State Sen. Orie, sister of Supreme Court justice, convicted on political corruption charges
A state senator from western Pennsylvania, who is the sister of a state Supreme Court justice, was convicted Monday of political corruption charges, local media has reported.
Judge grants summary judgment to inmate who claims prison staff purposely placed him in harms way
A man awaiting trial in a Pennsylvania prison on charges that he killed a member of the Bloods street gang has been granted summary judgment in his case against the prison system alleging that he was intentionally placed in harms way when he was put into general population despite knowledge on the part of prison staff that he was in danger of being attacked out of retribution for his accused crime.
Pa. Supreme Court rules sheriffs deputies of second-class counties are police, reverses Commonwealth Court decision
Reversing the decision of an intermediate state appellate court, Pennsylvania’s highest court has ruled that deputy sheriffs of counties of the second class are, indeed, police officers by definition under Pennsylvania law.
Former Phila. officers currently imprisoned are named in police brutality lawsuit
Attorneys for the City of Philadelphia and its police department have filed a notice with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania seeking to transfer a police brutality lawsuit to the federal venue from state court.
Former Phila. RDA employee alleges forced retirement in discrimination suit
A former real estate specialist with the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority who alleges she was laid off from her job of four years because of her age has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the city agency.
Ten-year-old case against former Sixers' basketball star Iverson dismissed by judge
A federal judge in Philadelphia has dismissed a complaint against former Philadelphia 76ers basketball star Allen Iverson that was filed more than a decade ago over allegations that the sports figure failed to pay the plaintiff for the plaintiff’s idea that Iverson style himself “The Answer” during his professional basketball career.
Phila. man falsely arrested and incarcerated for two-plus years sues city and Police Department
A city man who alleges he was wrongfully arrested for an armed robbery that took place in Northeast Philadelphia in the fall of 2008, and who subsequently sat in jail for a year-and-a-half due to his inability to post bail, has filed a federal civil rights complaint against the City of Philadelphia.
Family of man mistakenly killed by cop gets $1.8 million settlement from City of Phila.
The family of a man who was killed by a city police officer back in 2008 after the cop, who was chasing another man who had run into a house after indiscriminately firing a gun into the air during New Year’s Eve celebration, accidentally shot the victim, who was not involved in the altercation, will be receiving $1.8 million from the City of Philadelphia.
Veteran Phila. teacher sues school district for wrongful termination
A veteran teacher at a city high school who claims he was terminated after three decades of employment for discriminatory reasons has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Philadelphia School District.
Former priest in sex-abuse trial pleads guilty, receives up to 5 years in prison
One of three codefendants set to go on trial in a landmark case involving sex-abuse allegations against current and former members of the Catholic Church abruptly decided to plead guilty to charges he was facing in the case.
Pa. man who sued U.S. Govt. for $15 billion for failure to return Federal Reserve bonds has complaint dismissed
A Chester County, Pa. man who filed suit against the U.S. government late last year seeking $15 billion in damages relating to his claims that a federal agent refused to return to him 15 $1 billion 1934 Federal Reserve Bonds that the plaintiff turned over to the government for authentication purposes has had his lawsuit dismissed by a federal judge.
ACLU files suit against Lancaster County school district over drug testing policy
The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania has filed a lawsuit against a Lancaster County school district contesting its random drug screening policy for students involved in extracurricular activities.
Former sales rep at cable wire manufacturing company sues over alleged sexual harassment
A Broomall, Pa. woman who claims she had to leave her job as sales representative for a Collegeville, Pa.-based company that specializes in the manufacture of cable and electrical wire because of pervasive sexual harassment has filed a federal civil rights complaint against her former employer.
Judge dismisses pro se complaint filed by state prison inmate
A federal judge in Philadelphia has granted a dismissal sought by Pennsylvania officials in a pro se prisoner rights case, although the ruling left open the opportunity for the inmate to file an amended complaint against the defendants.