The Commission to Examine Reestablishing Parole in Maine recommended state lawmakers also consider reviving a state-funded institute from the 1970s that regularly reviewed and revised Maine’s sentencing laws.
Emily Allen
Staff Writer
Emily Allen covers courts for the Portland Press Herald. It's her favorite beat so far — before moving to Maine in 2022, she reported on a wide range of topics for public radio in West Virginia and was the City Hall reporter for the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. Emily is not a fan of the cold, but she puts up with Maine's challenging winters because she loves the state's beautiful hiking options ... once the snow has cleared.
Latest lawsuit against Portland diocese names former Frenchville priest
An Aroostook County man has filed the latest civil complaint against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. The lawsuit comes on the heels of a judge’s order this week upholding a law that allows Mainers to sue for past childhood sexual abuse, regardless of when it occurred. The man, who is now in his 40s […]
Judiciary Committee supports Maine Supreme Court nominee
Lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee voted 10-2 to recommend Superior Justice Wayne Douglas’ nomination to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
Judge rules against Portland diocese, allows childhood abuse lawsuits to move forward
Superior Justice Thomas McKeon gave the diocese 21 days to appeal his decision to uphold a law that allows Mainers with previously expired claims of child sexual abuse to sue their alleged abusers.
State finds $2.6 million to boost pay for lawyers who represent indigent defendants
The Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services says it will increase its reimbursement rate from $80 an hour to $150 an hour after state officials realized money to pay attorneys had not been carried over from an “orphaned” account it last used in 2019.
Stockton Springs woman sentenced for lying during 3-year-old’s murder probe
Sherry Johnson, 59, was given a suspended sentence Tuesday after pleading guilty. Her daughter, Jessica Trefethen, was convicted and sentenced to 47 years for the death of Maddox Williams.
Former jail guard won’t serve prison time for 2019 fatal crash
Kenneth Morang, 65, received a 6-year suspended sentence after being convicted of manslaughter in the 2019 death of Raelynn Bell.
Cumberland County sheriff’s deputy injured in Sebago arrest
Deputy Brandon Pelton had minor injuries after chasing and arresting a man in Sebago Thursday afternoon.
Mercy Hospital ordered to pay $6.5 million to family of man who died after misdiagnosis
Peter Smith was 25 when he died from Lyme disease in 2017. A jury decided Wednesday that Dr. John Henson failed to accurately diagnose him despite several visits.
Court hears arguments in diocese’s constitutional challenge
In a case expected to reach Maine’s high court, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland argues that a 2021 law that removed the statute of limitations on civil claims of childhood sexual abuse is unconstitutional.