Criminal Justice

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has corrected a decades-old flaw in state law that left severely mentally ill people behind bars indefinitely, and highlighted lingering problems for the man at the center of the case, and others like him.

A Black university student was victimized by white assailants who directed racial epithets at the student, according to a statement from the Lehigh University president.

The Northampton County coroner is investigating and has identified the remains as belonging to William Edelman Jr. of Catasauqua.

Several anonymous tips on school threats over the past two weeks have been found false, according to the Allentown Police Department.

Dieruff and Allen high schools and Trexler Middle School were locked down Monday after multiple unsubstantiated threats of mass violence were made to the district. Additional threats were made to Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, which also closed for the remainder of the day.

Allentown's police chief, Charles Roca, is looking to grow the number of officers patrolling city streets, add new vehicles to the city's fleet and is investigating the possibility of installing gunshot detection equipment in neighborhoods across the city.

LCTI students were either evacuated from the building or sent back to home schools if en route

Former Bethlehem police officer Noah Klingborg is charged with stalking and harassment, the Northampton County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.

The 77-year-old motorist received two citations and will not face serious criminal charges in the death of teacher's aide Angela Yowakim, the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office said.

A Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court case is being called the first of its kind, challenging the fate of inmates serving life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Concerned residents held a vigil outside the Lehigh County Jail in Allentown over the weekend with signs and candles to remember an inmate and correctional officer who recently died from COVID-19 and to raise awareness of what they say are dangerous conditions inside.

Lehigh Valley community members say the situation inside the Lehigh County Jail is bleak. Activists say COVID-19 conditions are causing harm to inmates and employees. And they plan to make their voices heard this weekend.

State courts told correctional institutions last year to reduce the number of inmates to help fight the spread of COVID-19 inside.

At a public forum with several Lehigh County Commissioners on Jan. 28, they called their working conditions “life-threatening.”

Lehigh County’s fiscal watchdog is advocating for bail reform.

A Harrisburg woman charged in connection with the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has been released from custody with restrictions.

A retired Pennsylvania firefighter has been arrested on suspicion of throwing a fire extinguisher that hit three police officers during the siege at the U.S. Capitol.

A yearlong study conducted by the state Department of Aging, found seniors are conned out of ten million dollars a year in Pennsylvania. And as WLVR’s Megan Frank reports, in many cases the scams come from people they know.

Allentown officials are in the process of creating a public safety review board. The goal is to have a body of citizens look into police matters and make reform recommendations.

As Allentown officials discussed what the future of policing may look like in the city Wednesday night, many people gathered outside council chambers - which were closed to the public.

Allentown City Council met last night to discuss a resolution designed to reform police practices.