Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania lawmakers face deadline to rewrite sentencing law for second-degree murder
Mandatory sentences for second-degree murder may no longer be constitutional in Pennsylvania, but some attorneys say the state’s highest court hasn’t given much clarity for nearly 1,100 people already serving those punishments.Court ruling forces legislative actionCory Fahnestock, an attorney with the McShane Group, said they’re left wondering what’s going to happen next, with no mechanism currently in place to handle those cases.”They’re left in the air of, ‘What’s going to happen to me next?’ There’s no mechanism to handle those,” Fahnestock said.Retroactivity remains unresolvedCory Miller, also an attorney, said the question of retroactivity is not automatic for those already serving sentences for second-degree murder.”The question of retroactivity is not automatic,” he said.Proposed bill would allow parole eligibilityHouse Judiciary Committee Chairman Tim Briggs has a bill that would propose an opportunity for parole for second-degree murder if someone has served 25 years of their sentence.But he acknowledges more conversations need to be had, especially about what to do with those already serving a life sentence.”How do we not? It’s unconstitutional,” Briggs said. “How are they going to continue serving those sentences? They need an opportunity to make their case, have their culpability reviewed.”Briggs’ Republican counterpart agreed that more time is needed to discuss the issue.Bipartisan agreement on need for more discussionRep. Rob Kauffman said, “We can have a comprehensive solution that addresses the concerns of the victims, but also attempts to being compassionate, looking forward for those who really weren’t involved in these crimes.”As the deadline approaches, lawmakers face pressure to create a sentencing structure that complies with the court ruling while balancing public safety, fairness and the interests of victims’ families.
Mandatory sentences for second-degree murder may no longer be constitutional in Pennsylvania, but some attorneys say the state’s highest court hasn’t given much clarity for nearly 1,100 people already serving those punishments.
Court ruling forces legislative action
Cory Fahnestock, an attorney with the McShane Group, said they’re left wondering what’s going to happen next, with no mechanism currently in place to handle those cases.
“They’re left in the air of, ‘What’s going to happen to me next?’ There’s no mechanism to handle those,” Fahnestock said.
Retroactivity remains unresolved
Cory Miller, also an attorney, said the question of retroactivity is not automatic for those already serving sentences for second-degree murder.
“The question of retroactivity is not automatic,” he said.
Proposed bill would allow parole eligibility
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Tim Briggs has a bill that would propose an opportunity for parole for second-degree murder if someone has served 25 years of their sentence.
But he acknowledges more conversations need to be had, especially about what to do with those already serving a life sentence.
“How do we not? It’s unconstitutional,” Briggs said. “How are they going to continue serving those sentences? They need an opportunity to make their case, have their culpability reviewed.”
Briggs’ Republican counterpart agreed that more time is needed to discuss the issue.
Bipartisan agreement on need for more discussion
Rep. Rob Kauffman said, “We can have a comprehensive solution that addresses the concerns of the victims, but also attempts to being compassionate, looking forward for those who really weren’t involved in these crimes.”
As the deadline approaches, lawmakers face pressure to create a sentencing structure that complies with the court ruling while balancing public safety, fairness and the interests of victims’ families.
Warning: The details of this story are graphic and could be disturbing for some readers.
A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty to stabbing his wife to death, officials announced on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, March 11, 2025, around 8:30 a.m., Bethlehem Township Police responded to a home on the 2100 block of 3rd Street in Easton, Pennsylvania, for a welfare check. A family member had told police they were concerned about the wellbeing of the people inside the house.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
The responding officers banged on the doors and windows, announcing their presence but no one answered. They then used a ladder to enter a second-floor window and were met by 58-year-old James Christopher Frank.
After opening the door for the officers, Frank led them into a bedroom and told them, “My wife is dead in the bathtub.” The officers entered the bathroom and found the body of Frank’s wife, 55-year-old Deborah Denise Glaser, in the tub. Glaser was facedown in the tub with multiple puncture wounds while her shirt was soaked in blood.
The officers also found knives, razor blades, box cutters and a mallet inside the bathroom.
Frank admitted to police that he cut his wife’s throat with a steak knife. He then told police he punctured his wife’s chest and heart with a knife and hammer around 10 times to make sure she was dead. He was then arrested and charged.
On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Frank entered a guilty plea to the charge of first-degree murder. The mandatory sentence is life in prison. He is scheduled for sentencing on June 17, 2026.
Lawmakers in Pennsylvania are pushing for legislation that would require devices like smart glasses to visually indicate when they’re recording.
Joe Ciresi, a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and majority chair of the House Communications and Technology Committee, introduced a bill (known as House Bill 2603) that would require smart glasses manufactured, sold, and used in Pennsylvania to have a visual indicator when the device is recording audio or video.
According to a report by local news outlet abc27 News, Ciresi describes the bill’s provisions as “common-sense privacy safeguards for smart glasses to help protect Pennsylvanians from potential misuse of this emerging technology.”
There is currently no nationwide law in the U.S. requiring smart glasses to display a light or other indicator while recording. The proposed measure would affect only recording devices used in Pennsylvania.
House Bill 2603 would also require retailers to clearly inform users of Pennsylvania’s existing recording laws and to prevent users from disabling any visual indicator that shows the device is recording.
“Smart glasses are an innovative technological advancement, but their design also allows them to easily record or stream without anyone noticing,” Ciresi says. “Considering the implications this has for individual privacy and surveillance, we must take thoughtful, proactive steps to address those risks.”
Smart glasses have one obvious privacy concern: people can record others clandestinely. Most smart glasses currently on the market — including Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses — have indicator lights designed to show people nearby when a user is recording video or taking photos. However, there is currently no U.S.-wide requirement for manufacturers to include such features in devices. This newly introduced bill in Pennsylvania could change that by requiring smart glasses sold or used in the state to clearly show when audio or video recording is taking place.
Nonetheless, although Ray-Ban smart glasses show a blinking red light when recording, many people who are filmed for social media attention or otherwise say they do not realize they are being recorded.
Meta has also faced controversy over the company’s reported plans to introduce facial recognition technology into its Ray-Ban smart glasses, with a feature internally known as “Name Tag.” The news outlet WIRED discovered dormant code for the facial recognition system in Meta’s companion app for its line of Ray-Ban smart glasses, leading the company to quietly delete the software a day later.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
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