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samanthamelamed.bsky.social

@samanthamelamed.bsky.social
68 followers 32 following 7 posts
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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
NEW: With a Chance at Freedom, They Faced an Unexpected Obstacle: Their Own Lawyers @samanthamelamed.bsky.social @dylancpurcell.bsky.social @inquirer.com
propublica.org
With a Chance at Freedom, They Faced an Unexpected Obstacle: Their Own Lawyers
Pennsylvania courts allow attorneys to argue against their convicted clients’ bid for justice. It has resulted in people spending years or decades in prison before being freed based on issues lawyers ...
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samanthamelamed.bsky.social @samanthamelamed.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Philly journalists, and transparency advocates: Come to Pen and Pencil Club on April 15 to talk with me, Dillon Bergin of @muckrock.com and Paula Knudsen Burke of @rcfp.org about Right to Know & fighting for law enforcement records in PA. Sign up: penandpencil.org/content.aspx...
penandpencil.org
Right to Know: Fighting for law enforcement records — and winning! - Events - The Pen and Pencil Club
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Reposted by @samanthamelamed.bsky.social
Sam Morris @sammorr.is · 14/01/2025
Compared to cities of a similar size, Philadelphia has one of the highest juvenile detention rates in country. Dain Saint and @samanthamelamed.bsky.social explore the scale of this issue, the system's racial disparities, abuse allegations, and a high rearrest rate. www.inquirer.com/crime/inq2/j...
inquirer.com
Exploring the scale of Philly’s juvenile detention problem
Cities nationwide are turning away from juvenile institutions, noting widespread abuses. Philly has fallen behind.
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samanthamelamed.bsky.social @samanthamelamed.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Philly DA Krasner pledged to transform juvenile justice and said his would stop “coercing” kids charged as adults to plead guilty in return for moving their cases to the juvenile system. Now, critics say those policies have been quietly abandoned. www.inquirer.com/crime/a/juve...
inquirer.com
Philly backslid on juvenile justice reform as prosecutors took up a practice DA Krasner called ‘coercive’
Five years ago, Philly DA Larry Krasner announced a policy overhaul, while city and state leaders proposed sweeping youth justice reforms. Those calls have faded and some policies appear forgotten.
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samanthamelamed.bsky.social @samanthamelamed.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
Abuse scandals have been a constant in PA juvenile institutions, leading bipartisan leaders to call for less reliance on youth incarceration. Despite local efforts, Philly remains an outlier—locking up kids more than other big cities, and other PA counties. www.inquirer.com/news/philade...
inquirer.com
Philly locks up kids at one of the highest rates anywhere, despite widespread abuse in juvenile institutions
Pennsylvania leaders have acknowledged the harms and abuses in juvenile institutions. Yet Philly remains a national leader in using them.
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Reposted by @samanthamelamed.bsky.social
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier @councilmemberjg.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
THREAD: I am appalled to learn that young people at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center (PJJSC) have reported being subject to seclusion for as much as ten days at a time. (1/5) share.inquirer.com/49bF2c
share.inquirer.com
Philly teens are regularly subjected to illegal lockdowns in detention, city watchdog finds
Minors held in juvenile detention in Philadelphia are routinely locked in their rooms for days on end, in violation of state laws, the Philadelphia Youth Ombudsperson found.
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Reposted by @samanthamelamed.bsky.social
Matthew Stiegler @matthewstiegler.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
Those screenshots are from this Phila. Inquirer article by @samanthamelamed.bsky.social. www.inquirer.com/news/philade...
inquirer.com
Philly judge accused of bias is cautioned by state judicial board, but will avoid sanctions
The board’s confidential decision closes the case against Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Anne Marie Coyle without any charges in the Court of Judicial Discipline.
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Reposted by @samanthamelamed.bsky.social
Matthew Stiegler @matthewstiegler.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
I don’t understand why judicial misconduct complaints in PA are publicly dismissed—with the judge getting a letter without the public being told—“when there was a violation, but there are mitigating factors” like “long tenure on the bench without complaints, or a judge’s efforts to rectify errors.”
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