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Appeals court throws out life term in 2004 newborn’s death

WASHINGTON (AP) — An appeals court has thrown out the life-without-parole sentence imposed on a western Pennsylvania woman in the murder of her newborn baby 17 years ago. The Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled that now-44-year-old Jessica Rizor’s attorney erred in not advising her to take a plea deal that would have allowed her to get out of prison in as little as 5¢ years, PennLive.com reported. Rizor was convicted in a Washington County trial of first-degree murder, concealing the death of a child and abuse of a corpse. Authorities said Rizor gave birth in November 2004 in ...

Covering to remain over Columbus statue

The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A state court ruling will allow a plywood box to remain — for the moment — over a statue of Christopher Columbus that the city has been trying to remove from a south Philadelphia park since the explorer became a focus amid nationwide demonstrations against racial injustice. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Commonwealth Court ruling late Saturday night vacated a decision earlier in the day by a Common Pleas Court judge to allow immediate removal of the box covering the statue on Marconi Plaza. City representative Kevin Lessard ...

COVID cases rising among vaccinated in Pennsylvania

The proportion of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations among vaccinated Pennsylvania residents rose sharply last month, reflecting the fact that a higher percentage of the population has now gotten the shot but also likely that protection has waned somewhat, state health officials said Friday. The latest Department of Health data on so-called “breakthrough” infections shows that between Sept. 5 and Oct. 4, vaccinated people represented just over a quarter — 26% — of more than 135,000 new infections and nearly 5,000 hospital admissions across the state. Death statistics for ...

Postal worker fatally shot in Western Pa.

COLLIER TOWNSHIP (AP) — A former neighbor of a U.S. Postal Service worker in Pennsylvania confessed to authorities that he fatally shot him because he believed the mail carrier previously poisoned him and his family with cyanide, a federal official said. Eric Kortz, 53, turned himself in Thursday for the shooting death of Louis Vignone while Vignone was on his route in Collier Township, acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Stephen Kaufman said in a statement. Vignone was shot around 10 a.m. Thursday while he was delivering mail, news outlets reported. ...

4 northeastern states team up to share gun crime information

HARRISBURG (AP) — The governors of four northeastern states agreed Thursday to share information about firearms purchases to help detect and investigate straw buyers and other gun crimes. Chief executives in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania signed a 10-page agreement to exchange gun crime data for use only by law enforcement, with provisions governing security and mandated notice if the information is misused or improperly accessed. The four Democratic governors said the initiative will help target gun networks that cross state lines. “Despite our best gun ...

Prosecutor takes leave to address rape charges

SOMERSET (AP) — Officials in a rural western Pennsylvania county say the elected prosecutor’s access to his office and the courthouse has been restricted after he was charged last month with violently raping a woman he knew through work. Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Lynn Thomas, 36, was accused last month of having attacked the woman in her Windber home. He was charged with rape, indecent and simple assault, strangulation and criminal trespassing. County Solicitor Michael Barbera told The (Johnstown) Tribune Democrat that Thomas can no longer use a remote “key ...