Why Does it Matter?

By: Todd Mosser, Esq. Police misconduct infects criminal investigations and taints the criminal justice process. As is well known, undoing a criminal conviction is a very rare occurrence, and convictions that are secured through the use of abusive and illegal police tactics leave those who are wrongfully convicted with an almost insurmountablebattle. In recent years, … Read more

Always Appealing: Todd Mosser, Fighting The Good Fight

Always Appealing: Todd Mosser, Fighting the Good Fight Featured Image

In criminal cases, post-conviction litigation is the last chance to secure one’s freedom from a life of incarceration. At this stage of the case, however, the odds are stacked against those who have been convicted, and the fight is an uphill battle. Read the full article here.

Philadelphia Judge Dismisses 2013 Murder Conviction

India Spellman freed after judge dismisses 2013 murder conviction

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 29-year-old woman is free to go home after her 2013 conviction was dismissed by a Philadelphia judge Thursday morning. Judge Scott DiClaudio said former prosecutors didn’t turn over evidence to defense attorneys in the case against India Spellman, who was found guilty by a jury for the 2010 murder of … Read more

Examining Alleged Detective Misconduct in Philadelphia

Woman looking into the distance

by Samantha MelamedUpdated May 13, 2021 The Philly DA has stipulated to coercion by Detective James Pitts, who helped build seven murder cases that were dismissed, acquitted, or overturned. He remains in the Philadelphia Police Department. This is Part 2 of Losing Conviction, a series about homicide investigations in Philadelphia As Morkea Spellman waited impatiently in the … Read more

2015 Philadelphia Murder Witness Bribed To Lie On The Stand

Man holding his baby daughter

by Mensah M. Dean Updated Feb 13, 2020 The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is taking a second look at a 2015 murder conviction based on new claims that a now-fired homicide detective induced a key trial witness to provide false testimony in exchange for a $20,000 city reward, a source close to the case said. The Philadelphia … Read more

Man convicted of drug offenses entitled to new sentencing

SEP 8, 2019, PHIL RAY, pray@altoonamirror.com A federal magistrate judge has issued an addendum to a recommendation he made in mid-August, raising the possibly that a convicted Altoona drug dealer could end up with lower minimum prison sentence than he is now serving. The inmate, Charles Bellon, 40, who is serving a 31- to 62-year … Read more

New Trial For Philadelphia Man Who Was Set Up

Father and daughter

by Mensah M. Dean, Posted: November 3, 2017 A Philadelphia judge on Friday threw out a murder conviction and sentence of a man who has been behind bars since 2008, ruling that the homicide detective who arrested him fabricated evidence and provided trial testimony that was so prejudicial it should have resulted in a mistrial. The ruling by Common … Read more

Man exonerated after fabricated evidence discovered

Father and daughter

by Mensah M. Dean, Updated: March 27, 2019 A Philadelphia man who has served 10 years of a life sentence without parole for a 2008 murder in Kensington, and who claims he was framed by a tainted city homicide detective, was ordered released from state prison Wednesday after the District Attorney’s Office withdrew the charges. Dwayne Thorpe, … Read more

Call Now Button