A suburban mom from Scarsdale, NY, one of America's wealthiest communities, faces federal charges for running a multi-million dollar marijuana grow operation out of a warehouse in Queens. The fact that Andrea Sanderlin lived a double-life as a marijuana "queenpin" and...
State College Criminal Law Blog
Colorado’s New Marijuana Regulations are Overly Burdensome
When Colorado voters approved a state constitutional amendment repealing Marijuana Prohibition last November, the next step was to draft laws regulating cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol. For practical reasons, Governor John Hickenlooper signed the new marijuana...
Accomplice Liability Will Sink All Three Suspects in Mike Adams Stabbing
Steelers offensive tackle Mike Adams was attacked by three men on the South Side of Pittsburgh in a failed car jacking attempt in the early morning hours of June 1, 2013. The robbers failed to steal Adams' truck, but one of the thugs stabbed him in the stomach and...
Pennsylvania Man Not Guilty of Resisting Arrest in “Cover Charge” Case
On August 5, 2012, two Springettsbury Township police officers confronted 57 year old Steven Landis, who was wanted for misdemeanor domestic violence charges, stemming from an incident earlier in the day. Officer Chad Moyer claimed that when Landis failed to put his...
Courtroom Fashion Dos and Don’ts
When I was a young lawyer many years go, I had my first DUI trial. In fact, it was only the second trial of my career. I was completely focused on preparing questions for cross-examination, anticipating evidentiary objections, rehearsing my opening statement in front...
What is the TODDI Defense?
The TODDI defense is often employed at trial, especially in trials involving co-defendants. "TODDI" stands for "the other dude did it," or 'the other dude done it," and is thus derived from the way some criminal defendants, rather than judges, lawyers or law...
What is the SODDI Defense?
The SODDI is one of the most commonly employed defenses in jury trials involving violent crimes. SODDI is an acronym, which stands for "some other dude did it" or "some other dude done it," and is thus derived from the way criminal defendants, rather than judges,...
Judge Pozonsky’s Downfall Shows Drug Addiction Can Strike Anyone
Judge Paul Pozonsky, a former Common Pleas Court judge from Washington County in western Pennsylvania, has been charged by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office with restricted activities by a public official, theft, obstruction of justice and possession of a...
Existing Pennsylvania DUI Law Already Protects Public From “Light-Weights”
Lost in the debate about lowering the legal limit for DUI to .05 is one simple fact. You can ALREADY be charged with DUI under Pennsylvania law, even if your BAC is below .08. The Pennsylvania DUI law does not only criminalize driving after imbibing enough alcohol to...
Texting Driver Charged with Homicide by Vehicle, but at Least She Wasn’t Drunk
It is not just drunk drivers who cause carnage on the highways. Laura Gargiulo has been charged with homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter, as well as other charges, related to an accident on May 7, 2013, in Lawrence County. Police allege that the 42 year...

