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Straits Times
11-07-2025
- Straits Times
US man who decapitated father and displayed head on YouTube gets life in prison
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Justin Mohn, 33, admitted during his trial that he shot his father, Michael, 68, in the head and used a kitchen knife and a machete to decapitate him. BUCKS COUNTY, Pennsylvania - A Pennsylvania man who decapitated his father in 2024 and displayed his severed head in a YouTube video - saying his father had interfered with his plot to overthrow the government - was convicted on July 11 on murder and terrorism charges and sentenced to life without parole. The man, Justin Mohn, 33, admitted during his trial in the Court of Common Pleas in Bucks County that he shot his father, Michael, 68, in the head at their suburban Philadelphia home on Jan 30, 2024, and used a kitchen knife and a machete to decapitate him. Taking the stand in his own defence, Mohn appeared to show little remorse for the killing, which drew national attention and further scrutiny to violent content on YouTube. The video remained online for about five hours and received more than 5,000 views before YouTube removed it. In his testimony and public comments before his trial, Mohn said that he was making a citizen's arrest and that his father, who had spent many years working for the US Army Corps of Engineers, had betrayed him. Ms Jennifer Schorn, the Bucks County district attorney, said during a news conference on July 11, that it was unfathomable that Mohn could take his father's life in the home where he and his siblings were raised and loved by their parents. 'But then to know that he took time to sever his father's head so that he could then create a video and share that video with countless people for one purpose,' she said, 'to make sure that that video was a clear political statement that he hoped would incite violence and inflict terror to many, many individuals.' Ms Schorn added: 'We must never forget the depravity of his actions.' Prosecutors said that Mohn had intended to create a militia to help him assassinate federal officials and judges whom he viewed as hostile to his way of life as a straight, white, Christian man. Ms Steven M. Jones, a lawyer for Mohn, said in an e-mail on July 11 that his client had avoided the death penalty, one possible outcome that prosecutors ultimately did not pursue. 'The defence respects the court's verdict,' Mr Jones said. Mr Jones said that he could not comment about whether Mohn would appeal the verdict. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Mohn offered an apology to his family during the trial, but only when he was prompted by his lawyer. 'I don't feel guilty for what I did,' he said, 'but I am sorry my family went through what they did because of the federal government's actions and my reaction to it.' After a five-day bench trial, Judge Stephen A. Corr found Mohn guilty of first- and second-degree murder, two terrorism counts, making terroristic threats and abusing a corpse, among other charges. The judge, who sentenced Mohn to two concurrent sentences of life without parole, excoriated Mohn and questioned his mental state, even though he had been found fit to stand trial, the Inquirer reported. 'Just because our laws say you are competent to stand trial,' the judge said, 'doesn't mean you don't suffer from some kind of mental infirmity.' In the YouTube video, Mohn promoted conspiratorial and anti-government views and briefly showed what he claimed was his father's head wrapped in plastic. At the time, YouTube confirmed that it had taken down the video because it violated the company's graphic violence policy. It also terminated Mohn's channel for violating its violent extremism policies. YouTube said it was monitoring for any re-uploads of the video to prevent it from resurfacing. The company did not immediately respond on July 11 to a request for comment about Mohn's conviction. NYTIMES
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
LAWSUIT: Pennsylvania Jury Awards $5.6M to Parents of Brain Damaged Child After Botched Birth and Invasion of Privacy
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA / ACCESS Newswire / July 9, 2025 / A Pennsylvania jury has awarded $5.6 million to the family of a child left debilitated with a traumatic brain injury and nearly blind after a botched birth at a Philadelphia-area hospital. The lawsuit was initially filed in 2020 by the parents of the now 6-year-old girl - Alexandra Wolfson and Jason Hoffman - in the Court of Common Pleas Philadelphia County against midwife Anne Pitts Londergan, CNM, and Albert Einstein Medical Center, among others. The case number is 200700471. The jury issued its verdict on June 27, finding Londergan, Einstein and others liable for negligence, invasion of privacy and breach of confidentiality. "Although nothing can ever undo the negligence this child suffered, this was a landmark ruling by the jury ensuring that patient privacy is always protected," said plaintiffs' attorney Tom Bosworth. "We're so grateful the jury acknowledged all that our daughter has gone through since the day she was born. Our daughter suffers from permanent birth injuries due to negligence, and, to make matters worse, her privacy was violated by someone we should have been able to trust," added mother Alexandra Wolfson. According to the complaint, after the botched birth, Londergan, the midwife who delivered the child, traumatized the parents even further by violating their privacy after she posted a picture of the newborn's misshapen head on her personal Instagram page with the headline, "Jellybean head, courtesy of malpresentation (brow and OP)," along with additional personal information about the birth that elicited numerous inappropriate comments such as "Poor kid! Window? and "Mack truck pelvis?" and "Oh ouch.. poor baby." Londergan's unauthorized reference to "malpresentation (brow and OP)" refers to two separate abnormalities that can occur during birth with the presentation - i.e. position - of the fetus during the birth process. None of the healthcare providers detected either the brow or OP positioning abnormalities during the labor and delivery, according to the lawsuit. The family's medical experts found that this resulted in the baby's head and skull being repeatedly crushed and compressed with every contraction. The child's parents never consented or agreed to the midwife, Londergan, sharing private information about their child. The first trial ended in a mistrial in early September due to legal technicalities. ** The lawsuit and visuals for media use can be found HERE ** ### Tom Bosworth of Bosworth Law focuses on representing catastrophic injury victims, representing those harmed by dangerous consumer products, dangerous medical devices, medical malpractice, and more. In 2022 he became the youngest attorney in Pennsylvania history to obtain a verdict greater than $10 million for a living patient in a medical malpractice case. ### SOURCE: Bosworth Law press release
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Court gives ruling on vacant Commissioner's seat
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— A decision on how to proceed with filling the Lackawanna County Commissioner Vacancy was announced in a ruling. In that ruling, the judges voted 2-1 in favor of siding with the Lackawanna County Democratic Committee that the vacancy of the County Commissioner seat should be filled in line with the Home Rule Charter instead of Pennsylvania Rule of Judicial Administration 1908, proposed by Commissioner Gaughan. The Home Rule Charter states that Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County shall choose from the three names submitted by the Lackawanna County Democratic Committee (LCDC). The Pennsylvania Rule of Judicial Administration 1908 states that when a court is filling vacancies to an elected official under a statutory duty, The Court shall receive applications from any interested candidates prior to the deadline established. The LCDC will now proceed with taking applications and choosing the best three and passing them onto the Court of common Pleas to make a final decision on the candidates. Commissioner Gaughan provided a brief statement saying: ''We have just received the opinions. We're reviewing them and will decide soon how to proceed.' The Court also ruled unanimously to take Lackawanna County off Commissioner Gaughan's lawsuit, meaning the county would not have to pay for it with taxpayer's money. Commissioner Chermak released a statement stating: 'I am pleased with the unanimous decision by the Lackawanna County judges to remove Lackawanna County and the County Solicitor from Commissioner Gaughan's lawsuit. I fought to have the county removed from this suit because the taxpayers of Lackawanna County should not be responsible for paying for a fight between Bill Gaughan and the Democrat Party of Lackawanna County. First and foremost, I will always fight for the taxpayers of Lackawanna County. This why I strongly opposed the 33% tax increase and continue to monitor the ongoing reassessment to make sure it is fair, accurate and transparent. This ruling protects taxpayer funds, and I remain dedicated to advocating for fiscal responsibility in our county. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New faces on boards throughout Sunbury and Northumberland County
SUNBURY — Several new faces will take their seats on boards throughout Northumberland County, including, Sunbury Council, the Shikellamy School District and the Court of Common Pleas, according to unofficial results. In the Shikellamy School District, voters rejected reelection bids by Tom Webb and Justin Lenner, both incumbents who got beat by political newcomers Dennis Deitrich and Chris Bucher. Bucher won both the Republican and Democratic nominations. Director Jenna Eister-Whitaker was the incumbent who survived the primary election by winning both the Repubican and Democratic nominations. Another polictial newcomer, Tara Sprenkel also won both nominations, while Deitrich won the Republican nomination. Sprenkel, who was the top vote-getter, said she was thankful to voters. 'There is a lot of work that needs to be done once the new board gets seated,' she said. 'I am happy to see the voters put their faith in me to possibly be on the board in December to make the changes that are needed and move the district forward for betterment of our students.' Sunbury resident Victoria Rosancrans won the Democratic nomination, thus leaving five people for four open seats. With the new names in the field it will guarantee that at least three new faces join the board that consists of current directors, Wendy Wiest, Lori Garman, Slade Shreck, Julie Brosius and Joe Stutzman. In Sunbury, City Treasurer Kevin Troup won a nomination for City Council, after he announced earlier this year he was retiring from his position. Current Councilman Nate Savidge won a Republican nomination and Andres Manresa won the Democratic nomination setting up a three-person race for two seats in the fall. Sumbury attorney Ed Greco won both Republican and Democratic nominations for a seat on the Northumberland County Court of Common Pleas bench, while Shamokin attorney Frank Garrigan, who serves as the Northumberland County solicitor, won the second open seat. Mount Carmel District Judge Bill Cole finished third and was ousted from the race. The fall will also see longtime Northumberland County Coroner Jim Kelley, a Democrat, square off against Republican challenger Scott Lynn Jr. Both were unopposed Tuesday night. Northumberland County Prothonotary Jamie Saleski and Recorder of Deeds Tina Mertz also retained their seats as they were unopposed Tuesday. Milton District Judge Michael Diehl also ran unopposed and will retain his seat as a district judge with no competition in the fall.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Elections office, polls poised for primary
Lawrence County's voter services team is ready for today's historic May primary. It's historic because it's the first time Lawrence County has had three judgeships open at one time in the Court of Common Pleas. Seven candidates are vying today for nominations on the Republican and Democratic ballots. Voters also will nominate candidates for many open borough and township elected positions, county government offices and school board seats, and on the Republican ballots, they will elect people to serve as Republican committee members. County positions in addition to the judge race include district attorney, sheriff and register and recorder. "We're ready for tomorrow," county elections director Tim Germani declared at a meeting of the Lawrence County Board of Elections. The board, comprised of the three commissioners, convened Monday and recessed at the call of the chair. If no issues arise during the election process that require a decision of the board, it will reconvene when the elections are ready to be certified. Germani reported at Monday's session that the county has a total of 57,165 registered voters. Of those, 29,918 are registered Republicans; 19,953 are registered Democrats; 255 are registered as Libertarians and 7,039 comprise other parties. Germani emphasized that "this is a closed election," meaning only Democrats and Republicans can vote on ballots for candidates running under their own parties. The seven judge candidates are cross-filed under both parties, as are some school board candidates. There are no nonpartisan questions on the ballot, he said, so other party voters won't be able to vote until November. Germani also reported on number of mail-in ballot applications he received and how many have been returned as of Monday morning. His office sent out 5,059 mail-in ballots to applicants. Of those, 3,615 or 65 percent had been returned so far. Germani reported a total of 1,713 Republican ballots were sent out and 1,175 returned so far and 3,346 Democratic ballots were sent out and 2,440 were returned. Voters still have until 8 p.m. to return the ballots to the county drop box in the courthouse entrance or at the voter registration office. He also reported 10 ballots were sent back with no signatures, and one had no secrecy envelope. "We will call you if you do not sign or date your ballots," he said. "We'll give you a chance to cure them." "They'll be notified to come in and remedy the problem so these ballots will be able to be counted. They have until 8 p.m. Tuesday to come in." Germani also reminded voters of two polling site changes. Those who usually vote at the North Beaver Township municipal building instead will go this time to the North Beaver fire hall at 969 Mount Jackson Road, because the township building is undergoing renovations. The Gettings Annex, which is the church across the lot from the courthouse, is no longer a polling spot. Those voters now will go to the New Creation Free Methodist Church at 725 Pearson St., formerly known as St. John's Hall. First-time voters in a precinct are reminded they need to present their identification at the polls. County employees Michael Occhibone and Sarah Eppinger will sit as the elections resolution board to resolve any damaged or illegible ballots. Seven high school students from Mohawk Area School District and sons and daughters of courthouse employees will assist the elections staff as the cars deliver supplies and ballots after the polls close. Jacquie Graziani, an elections staff member, explained Mohawk class had a mock election and the elections office invited the students to help. The student workers are paid $10 per hour on election night. Commissioner Chris Sainato, who sits on the election board, encouraged voters to treat poll workers with respect. "They work long hours, and for not a lot of money," he said. "The laws are the laws and they have to follow them. Don't take out your anger on them. We need to keep each and every one of them."
