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Pennsylvania Court Awards $4.2 Million in Fracking Case

May 30, 2016 By Alyssa Kusturiss Poole

Two families in northern Pennsylvania won a jury verdict against a local oil and gas company, after they alleged contamination of their groundwater as a result of fracking by the company. Scott and Monica Ely, and their neighbors, Ray and Victoria Hubert, were originally among 44 plaintiffs in legal action filed against Cabot Oil & Gas in 2009. The lawsuit contended that Cabot’s use of fracking to obtain oil and gas had rendered the groundwater in Dimock Township, northwest of Scranton, unfit for human consumption.

In fracking, a recently developed process in oil and gas exploration, oil companies drill deep into the earth and then inject a mixture of water, sand and chemical to force oil and gas to the surface. Though the procedure has only been in use for about a decade, lawsuits have been filed around the country, all claiming some loss. A Texas jury returned a $3 million verdict in 2014 under similar circumstances and the Oklahoma courts are currently considering claims that the controversial process has caused a substantial increase in earthquake activity in the state.

The jury in the Pennsylvania case awarded $2.75 million to the Elys and $1.45 million to the Huberts. Both families had refused to join a proposed settlement offer by Cabot. In pre-trial reports, it was learned that Cabot had been tagged with more than 130 violations at the Dimock drilling site, causing the contamination of approximately 20 drinking wells. The company is now legally prohibited from drilling in or around Dimock Township.

Contact the Law Offices of John E. Kusturiss, Jr.

At the Law Offices of John E. Kusturiss, Jr., we have more than 30 years of practice experience, including representing those with personal injury matters. Contact us online or call us at 610-565-0240 to set up an appointment. There is no charge for your initial consultation. We are available to meet with you evenings or weekends upon request. We take Visa, MasterCard and Discover, as well as debit cards.

Filed Under: Current Events, Delaware County Personal Injury attorney, Delaware County personal injury attorneys, Media PA Personal Injury Lawyer, Media Pennsylvania personal injury attorney, PA personal injury lawyer, Pennsylvania personal injury, Personal Injury

Three Retired Pennsylvania Priests Charged in Sex Abuse Cover-Up

April 6, 2016 By Alyssa Kusturiss Poole

Three retired Franciscan priests were charged in mid-March by Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, related to what the state says was a cover-up of sexual abuse by a friar in the Catholic Church. The three—Giles Schinelli, Robert D’Aversa and Anthony Criscitelli, were the provincial ministers of the Franciscan religious order in western Pennsylvania during the friar’s tenure, from 1986 until 2010. Officials say that the friar, Stephen Baker, may have molested more than 100 children while under their administration. Baker committed suicide in 2013.

According to the Attorney General’s office, over 100 sexual abuse claims have been filed by individuals who attended Bishop McCort High School, in Johnstown, where Baker was employed between 1992 and 2000. Attorneys for some of the victims say, however, that it’s likely that the actual number of victims was substantially higher.

Alleging that the three retired priests were “more concerned about the protecting the image of the order…than in protecting the flock they served,” Kane charged all three with conspiracy and child endangerment. Kane said that all three knew that Baker had been accused of molestation by many students, but neglected to notify police, and continued to allow Baker access to children.

According to court documents, Baker served as a football coach and religion teacher, and apparently fondled or molested many students who came to him for treatment for sports-related injuries. He was removed from McCort by D’Aversa in 2000 based on what D’Aversa believed to be a credible allegation of sexual abuse, but was then reassigned to a position as vocations director for the order, where he was allowed to lead youth retreats in a number of states.

The charges come after a two-year investigation into alleged sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. During the course of the grand jury investigation, prosecutors say, they found evidence linking at least eight other Franciscan friars to acts of sexual abuse.

Contact Our Office

At the Law Offices of John E. Kusturiss, Jr., we have more than 30 years of practice experience. Contact us online or call us at 610-565-0240 to schedule a private meeting. There is no charge for your first consultation. We will meet with you evenings or weekends upon request. We take Visa, MasterCard and Discover, as well as debit cards.

Filed Under: Criminal Attorney in Delaware County Pennsylvania, Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense Attorney PA, Criminal Law, Current Events

Court to Hear Motion to Dismiss in Cosby Criminal Case

April 6, 2016 By Alyssa Kusturiss Poole

Comedian Bill Cosby’s criminal trial in a Pennsylvania court is currently on hold, as an appeals court hears arguments on whether the case against him should be dismissed before trial. Cosby faces criminal charges in Montgomery County tied to allegations that he drugged and molested a Temple University employee in his home in Philadelphia in 2004.

According to Cosby, he had entered into an agreement with a former district attorney, whereby he was promised that he would never be charged with any crime tied to or based on allegations by Temple employee Andrea Constand. Cosby claims that that agreement should be binding on current district attorney Kevin Steele. Cosby and prosecutors acknowledge that Constand filed a complaint in 2005, and that an investigation took place, but that no charges were filed.

Common Pleas Judge Steven O’Neill, who took testimony for two days on the issue, ruled that there was no credible evidence that Cosby had entered into a binding agreement. Bruce Castor, the former district attorney, actually testified on behalf of Cosby, but admitted that the parties did not memorialize the agreement in writing. Cosby’s attorneys say that, based on a 2005 news release from Castor, they allowed Cosby to be deposed in a civil lawsuit tied to the alleged assault. They contend that the “new evidence” cited by Steele comes from testimony given at that deposition.

Contact the Law Offices of John E. Kusturiss, Jr.

At the Law Offices of John E. Kusturiss, Jr., we have more than 30 years of practice experience. We handle the defense of all types of criminal charges. Contact us online or call us at 610-565-0240 to arrange an appointment.

There is no charge for your initial consultation. We are available to meet with you evenings or weekends upon request. We take Visa, MasterCard and Discover, as well as debit cards.

Filed Under: Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense Attorney, Criminal Defense Attorney PA, Criminal Law, Current Events

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