Joshua Vaughn

Joshua Vaughn

Senior Reporter

Joshua covers a broad array of criminal justice issues, but his writing has a special focus on sex offender policies, the use of cash bail, and substance use in rural Pennsylvania. He was a 2016 John Jay/Harry F. Guggenheim criminal justice reporting fellow, and received a 2016 president’s award for excellence in news reporting recipient from Lee Enterprises. He was also a 2017 John Jay/Measures for Justice reporting fellow.

@Sentinel_Vaughn

Articles by Joshua Vaughn

Ed Gainey Wins Democratic Nomination for Pittsburgh Mayor

The state representative will almost certainly be the city’s first Black mayor, and his victory follows a year of nationwide social upheaval over police and racial justice issues.

A Pittsburgh Judge Wants to Use the Bench To Fight Evictions and Mass Incarceration

Mik Pappas, elected judge in 2017 with the support of the local DSA, is now running for higher office as part of a slate that wants to change the legal system in Allegheny County.

How Demands for Affordable Housing Are Defining Pittsburgh’s Mayoral Race

A disproportionate number of Black residents have left the city, and advocates say the next mayor needs to ensure greater access to housing.

How Policing Is Shaping the Pittsburgh Mayoral Race

Incumbent Bill Peduto’s policing record is under scrutiny after protests last summer. He is facing what may be his most competitive race yet.

After Daunte Wright’s Death, Advocates Press Leaders to Get Police Out of Traffic Enforcement

Cities across the country must rethink the role of law enforcement, as police continue to brutalize and kill Black men and women during traffic stops, advocates say.

The Pandemic Prompted Marilyn Mosby to Stop Prosecuting Low-Level Crimes. Will Other D.A.s Follow?

Prosecutors across the country have begun declining low-level cases in an effort to reduce racial inequity and to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baltimore City State’s Attorney Will Curb Prosecutions of Low-Level Traffic Violations

A new diversion program will allow people charged with driving with a suspended license or without insurance to avoid jail time and fees.

Sheila Nezhad Says Police Are Not the Path to Public Safety in Minneapolis

Nezhad, a community organizer, is seeking to unseat incumbent Jacob Frey on a platform of transforming public safety without police, providing housing for all, and addressing poverty through direct economic support.

Minneapolis Activists Could Put Police Reform Directly on the Ballot

Yes 4 Minneapolis, a coalition of advocacy organizations, is on track to place a proposed charter amendment on November’s ballot that would fundamentally change policing and public safety in the city.

The Successes and Shortcomings of Larry Krasner’s Trailblazing First Term

Philadelphia’s top prosecutor has made good on promises to reduce incarceration in the city. His re-election bid will be a litmus test for the progressive prosecutor movement he helped start.

California Governor Commutes Sentence of Abuse Survivor, Grants Clemency to Several Others

Advocates have been urging Governor Gavin Newsom to make greater use of his clemency power, especially for older prisoners who are more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Meg O'Connor, Joshua Vaughn

Philly Cops Are Solving Fewer Homicides. The City Keeps Paying Them Millions

Community members and advocates question why Mayor Jim Kenney and the City Council continue to fund the police department at record levels, despite the department’s low murder solve rate.

Berkeley City Council Passes Sweeping Reforms to Limit Police Traffic Stops

In an effort to end systemic racism, the California city will aim to reduce the number of police-involved traffic stops for expired registrations and other small violations.

How George Floyd’s Death Is Pushing Minneapolis to Rethink Public Safety

The police killing has accelerated a years-long effort by advocates and lawmakers to shift resources and money away from law enforcement.

After Man Dies Waiting For Commutation, Pennsylvania Governor Frees 13 People

At the urging of advocates, Governor Tom Wolf signed off on all remaining commutations applications on his desk.

Man Recommended For Prison Release Dies Waiting For Pennsylvania Governor’s Sign-Off

The Board of Pardons unanimously recommended Bruce Norris for a commutation in December, but Tom Wolf had yet to approve it.

Eviction Bans Saved Lives During The Pandemic, New Research Says

Policies that helped keep people in their homes—and keep the utilities on—reduced COVID-19 deaths and infections.

New Jersey Could Force Cuomo’s Hand on Pot Legalization

The New York governor has released a plan to legalize marijuana, months after voters in the Garden State approved legalization in November. Advocates say the pressure could have ripple effects regionally.

A Judge Suspended Evictions in Kansas City. Advocates Say That’s Not Enough

The order halts evictions in the city and surrounding area until Jan. 24, but a housing rights group says greater protections are needed for the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What Public Safety Without Police Looks Like

From San Francisco to Philadelphia, cities across the country are creating fully unarmed response teams to address emergencies that used to call for cops.

Jerry Iannelli, Joshua Vaughn

Philadelphia Jails Have Black Mold, Rats, Poor Heating, Say Women Held There

The Philadelphia Community Bail Fund, which recorded and published the complaints, paid for the release of some incarcerated women on Saturday.

Shifting Incarceration Costs to Counties Could Mean Fewer People in Prisons and Jails, Study Suggests

A new study suggests that if counties—rather than states—bear the cost of incarceration, they may be less likely to incarcerate people.

Facing Life

Pennsylvania’s prisons have the second-highest number of people in the country serving life without the possibility of parole. Nine people who were released after being sentenced to die behind bars share their stories.

Families Urge Cuomo to Release Loved Ones from Prison During COVID-19 Pandemic

In addition to the releases he has already ordered, the New York governor can grant commutations to free more incarcerated people to protect them from the disease. He has issued only three since the pandemic began.

Alana Sivin, Joshua Vaughn

Two Rising Democratic Stars May Be Vying for Pennsylvania Governor. On Criminal Justice, They’re Very Different

Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman has jumpstarted the state’s pardons process, while Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s self-styled progressivism isn’t winning over advocates.

Michigan Supreme Court Flips to Democrats

The ideological change is a boon for the left, as states prepare for redistricting in 2021 and the challenges that may come with it.

Candace Valenzuela Is Running to Give All People a Chance at the American Dream

If she’s successful in her bid to represent Texas’s 24th Congressional District, Valenzuela will flip the district to blue and become the first Black and Latinx member of Congress.

3 Transformational Candidates That the Working Families Party Is Excited About

The party's national director tells The Appeal about candidates in New York, Washington, D.C., and New Mexico that the WFP would like to see oust the establishment.

Amy Coney Barrett’s Record on Criminal Justice Is ‘Deeply Troubling,’ Reform Advocates Say

In the midst of a national debate about changing the criminal legal system, Barrett is set to take a lifetime seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. Advocates see her addition as a potential setback to creating a more fair system.

‘Democracy Pressure-Tested’: Voter Suppression Efforts Underway As Election Nears

Efforts by elected leaders in several states are making it harder to get to the polls and fomenting misinformation about the election amid a pandemic.

Democrats Could Flip the Ohio and Michigan Supreme Courts

Shifting control of the states’ highest courts next month will prove critical on a number of major issues, including redistricting in 2021.

Sara Innamorato Is Fighting to Reduce the Harms of COVID-19’s Economic Crush

The state representative wants to bar landlords in Pennsylvania from reporting missed or late rent payments to credit agencies.

Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Law Enforcement Commission

The ruling said the commission wasn’t diverse enough and gave little voice to communities affected by policing.

With Little Evidence, Pennsylvania State Police Seized $600,000 From Drivers

An investigation by The Appeal and Spotlight PA found that troopers in three counties have taken big money from drivers, many of whom were never charged.

Joseph Darius Jaafari, Joshua Vaughn

Philadelphia Housing Advocates Declare Victory After Monthslong Battle With City

The city will give advocates 50 vacant homes to be used for permanent housing for low-income residents, according to a tentative agreement.

After Atlanta Teen Is Injured in a Police Encounter, Lawyers Call for Change

The 17-year-old, who his lawyers say was pushed off a fence by a police officer, survived the fall but suffered serious injuries.

Pennsylvania Inspector General Reviewing State Police Traffic Stop Tactics

The review follows an investigation by The Appeal and Spotlight PA, which found that troopers were using minor traffic stops to illegally detain and search motorists along highways.

Highway Stop-And-Frisk: How Pennsylvania State Troopers Conduct Illegal Traffic Searches

A review of five years of cases that arose from traffic stops in the south-central region of the state shows that police used underhand tactics to justify holding and searching drivers illegally.

Joseph Darius Jaafari, Joshua Vaughn

Pennsylvania Governor Calls for Marijuana Legalization to Cover COVID-19 Budget Shortfall

Tom Wolf said Tuesday that legalizing and taxing recreational use of marijuana could help solve fiscal woes that arose from the pandemic, and address long-standing racial injustices.

Nearly 200 Pardons Languish on Pennsylvania Governor’s Desk

The state Board of Pardons recommended last year that hundreds of people’s criminal records be cleared. Months later, more than half are still waiting for Tom Wolf’s signature.

Philadelphia Housing Authority Is Failing at Its Mission, Advocates Say

Although the agency has vacant properties, public housing has been out of reach for nearly a decade for many who need it.

A 13-Year-Old Shot and Killed His Brother. Pennsylvania Police Charged Him as an Adult.

State law requires all murder charges be automatically filed in adult court, regardless of age.

In Pennsylvania, Overdose Deaths Were Falling. Then COVID-19 Hit.

Advocates say the pandemic has exacerbated the overdose crisis in the state by forcing people into isolation and impeding access to treatment.

Pennsylvania Governor Approves Two Commutations For Men Serving Life Sentences

The two men have been awaiting Tom Wolf’s signature for more than six months.

Philadelphia Police Make Hundreds of Looting Arrests, Leave Many More Violent Crime Cases Unsolved

The city’s clearance rate for murder, whose victims are disproportionately Black, has hovered around 40 percent for the last several years.

Pennsylvania House Democrats Refocus on Police Reform, But Face an Uphill Fight

Democrats have introduced and reintroduced bills that have languished in the Judiciary Committee, which must approve them before they reach the full House.

Less Than Half a Percent of Pennsylvania Prisoners Have Been Granted Emergency Release During the Pandemic

Advocates had hoped Governor Tom Wolf would use his executive reprieve power to release thousands of people from prisons in the face of COVID-19.

Three Pennsylvania Men Were Recommended for Commutations. They’re Still in Prison.

Freddy Butler, Oliver Macklin, and Charles Goldblum are among the 17 people who received recommendations for commutations of life sentences in 2019, but Governor Tom Wolf has yet to sign off on their releases.

Some Federal Prisoners Are Getting Out As COVID-19 Spreads. Others Have No Chance.

Jeremy Hix is serving 70 months in federal prison for a sex offense—a conviction that disqualifies him for a Bureau of Prisons home confinement program, despite a health condition that puts him at risk of the coronavirus.

Commutations In Pennsylvania Are Postponed Indefinitely As COVID-19 Spreads

Incarcerated people like John Brookins, who is serving life without the possibility of parole, will have to wait until June or later for a chance at clemency.

‘She Had Sweat Dripping Down From Her Hairline and Down Her Face’

A woman detained by ICE was sick with COVID-19 for days before being removed from a 50-person jail dorm in York County, Pennsylvania, according to women housed with her.

Man With Innocence Claim Is First to Die of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania Prisons

The Pennsylvania Innocence Project was seeking the exoneration of Rudolph Sutton when he died on April 8 from complications related to COVID-19.

Pennsylvania Governor Could Release Hundreds of Prisoners As COVID-19 Spreads

Tom Wolf said Friday he will use his reprieve power, a form of clemency, to reduce the state prison population.

Amid COVID-19 Panic, Pennsylvania Republicans Warn Governor Against Taking Executive Action to Release Prisoners

They tell Tom Wolf that taking any unilateral actions to reduce the state’s prison population would endanger public safety.

Pennsylvania Lawmakers To Introduce Prisoner Furlough Bill During COVID-19 Pandemic

The emergency program seeks to release a select group of prisoners but does not go far enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in prisons, experts and Democratic lawmakers say.

A Rarely Used Power Could Free Prisoners in Pennsylvania. But the Governor Is Not Using It.

The Office of General Counsel determined that the governor could likely use reprieves to release vulnerable people from prison to control COVID-19’s spread, but the office is advising against it, according to internal emails obtained by The Appeal.

Pennsylvania Has Few Options to Release Elderly Prisoners as COVID-19 Spreads

Advocates have called on Governor Tom Wolf and state Department of Corrections officials to release elderly and infirm people from state prisons. But the law is limiting how quickly they can move.

Despite Risk of Spreading Virus, Judges Continue to Impose Cash Bail in Pennsylvania

In Northampton County, advocates say the practice is putting the people charged for minor offenses, and the broader community, in danger.

Indiana Advocates Call on Governor to Release Elderly And Infirm Prisoners As Coronavirus Spreads

More than 100 people signed an open letter to Eric Holcomb requesting that he begin releasing people most likely to be seriously harmed or killed by the coronavirus.

Pennsylvania Public Defenders Not Reinstated Despite Public Outcry Over Firing

Montgomery County Chief Public Defender Dean Beer and Deputy Chief Keisha Hudson were fired last month after filing an amicus brief critical of the county’s bail setting practices.

Elizabeth Warren Announces Plan to Legalize Marijuana If Elected President

The Democratic candidate also pledged to expunge prior criminal convictions for marijuana and invest in the communities most affected by the war on drugs.

A Man Shot by Chicago Police Is Receiving $10 Million From the City. In 2013, Rahm Emanuel Praised the Officers Responsible.

The former mayor issued a city resolution honoring officers for their ‘bravery’ in a shooting that paralyzed Tarance Etheredge, who will receive a payout from a civil rights lawsuit.

Life and Loss: A Son Sentenced to Die in a Pennsylvania Prison

An Appeal documentary on life without the possibility of parole—and its impact on loved ones—in the state.

Cancer Patient’s Prison Sentence Is A Glaring Outlier in a Pennsylvania County

A review of charging dockets in Lebanon County shows Ashley Menser was the only person charged with felony retail theft in 2018 to receive a 7-year maximum sentence.

In New Orleans, Drug Testing Is Imposed More Frequently on People Released Without Money Bail

People freed from jail on their own recognizance miss more court appearances because of disproportionate conditions placed on their release, a new study suggests.

Pennsylvania Mandatory Minimum Bill Is Unlikely to Reduce Gun Violence, Opponents Say

State Representative Todd Stephens has introduced a bill to impose a five-year minimum prison sentence for illegally possessing a firearm, but the governor, advocates, and others say it’s the wrong approach.

Five Cases Could Significantly Reform Pennsylvania’s Sex Offense Registry. The State’s Attorney General Is Pushing Back.

Josh Shapiro has warned that changing the state’s sex offense registry requirements threatens public safety. But experts say his fears are unfounded and the registry provides little to no public safety benefit.

New Lawsuit Alleges Abuse At ‘One Of The Worst’ County Jails In America

Officers at the Cuyahoga County Jail in Ohio are accused of pepper-spraying and assaulting a man for merely asking about his release date.

As Support For Capital Punishment Wanes, An Ohio D.A. Continues To Push For Death

In Franklin County, experts say Ron O’Brien’s capital cases—which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars— amount to ‘just taxpayer money being lit on fire.’

In a Louisiana Parish, Hundreds of Cases May Be Tainted By Sheriff’s Office Misconduct

During the tenure of Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal, deputies assaulted and harassed men inside the parish jail. Several deputies were convicted in federal court, and now cases brought by the office are under renewed scrutiny.

What Does Death By Incarceration Look Like In Pennsylvania? These Elderly, Disabled Men Housed In A State Prison.

More than 5,400 people in the state are sentenced to life without parole. This month, The Appeal went inside one prison that helps provide end-of-life care for men.

Louisiana Prosecutors Push To Retain Nonunanimous Jury Verdicts

In 2018, the state’s voters approved a constitutional amendment that requires unanimous jury verdicts in felony cases for crimes committed on or after Jan. 1, 2019. Now, the Supreme Court is considering the constitutionality of the nonunanimity rule—with prosecutors arguing that the U.S. Constitution does not require unanimous jury verdicts in criminal cases.

Philadelphia Trauma Center Closure Could Mean More Shooting Deaths—And Tough-on-Crime Talk

Research shows access to a trauma center is critical after a shooting. But as gun deaths are rising in Philly, one trauma center has closed. Experts say a rise in homicides may prompt more policing.

New Orleans Public Defenders Punished For Locating Key Witness

The attorneys said they did nothing wrong by finding a victim in a rape case who had disappeared, but a judge accused them of making her unavailable.

Massachusetts Prosecutors Are Using ‘Dangerousness’ Holds To Keep People Incarcerated Pretrial

Advocates say that despite the election of several progressive prosecutors in the state, there’s a substantial increase in such detentions, which are stymieing gains made through policies to limit cash bail.

Philadelphia Man Begins Rebuilding His Life After His Wrongful Conviction

After more than two decades, Terrance Lewis was exonerated and released from prison earlier this year. He is now an advocate for other innocent people caught up in the criminal legal system.

Pennsylvania’s Crime Victim Definition Leaves Out Communities Most Affected By Crime

The state’s narrow interpretation gives too much weight to voices that support a punitive criminal legal system, advocates say.

A Historic Day May Mark The Beginning Of The End Of Death By Incarceration In Pennsylvania

This month, nine people received commutations from life sentences, and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is calling for changes to the commutations process to give more people second chances.

A Trap Of Low-Level Drug Arrests And Court Debt In Pittsburgh

In 2017, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala prosecuted more than 1,700 low-level drug possession cases. More than $2 million in court-imposed debt was levied on people who were charged in these cases.

Thousands Are Serving Life Without Parole Sentences in Pennsylvania. A Board Of Pardons Hearing Might Begin To Change That.

People seeking commutations from life sentences encounter a steep hurdle in the state’s board of pardons. The board will convene on Sept. 13 to review more than 20 cases.

‘No Knock’ Warrants Spur Wave Of Civil Rights Lawsuits In Little Rock

Police are accused of lying to obtain the warrants to conduct military-style raids on the homes of poor people and people of color.

Number Of Young People Charged In Philadelphia’s Adult Court Drops Sharply

The decline under DA Larry Krasner, who took office in 2018, marks a significant change in juvenile justice in Pennsylvania.

A Pennsylvania Police Department Is Accused Of Klan Involvement and Discrimination

In a civil rights lawsuit, an officer in Allentown claims he was subjected to racial discrimination before he was fired.

Man Accused Of Shooting 6 Philadelphia Police Officers Was Federal Informant

A federal prosecutor in Pennsylvania blamed DA Larry Krasner for a bloody standoff, but the suspect has a long relationship with the government that includes a sentence reduction because of his cooperation.

A New Mexico Man Accused a Deputy of ‘Gestapo’-like Training. Then He Was Arrested.

In Valencia County, a sheriff’s deputy who once faced allegations of excessive force in Albuquerque is accused of assaulting an elderly man.

‘See How Quickly They Behave Once We Put Our Foot Down?’

A federal lawsuit claims that Palo Alto, California, police falsely detained, arrested, and beat a gay Latinx man—then boasted about their brutality.

Pennsylvania’s Top Cop Says He Supports Criminal Justice Reform. His Record Suggests Otherwise.

When it comes to criminal justice, advocates say, Attorney General Josh Shapiro seems intent on maintaining the status quo.

Pennsylvania Democrats Had a Chance to Reject Law Limiting Philly D.A.’s Authority

Lawmakers say Republicans used deceptive tactics to pass the controversial bill. The legislative record tells a different story.

In Pennsylvania, a Kidnapping Law Could Unravel a Life

A Shippensburg man faces 15 years on the sex offense registry for offering a girl a ride.

Law Enforcement Is Urged to ‘Think Like a Parent, Not a Prosecutor’

A new DA in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, is treating the overdose crisis as a criminal matter rather than a community health issue.

Pennsylvania Police Department Accused of Sexism

Brandi Courtesis lost her job with the Gettysburg force after saying a colleague sexually harassed her. The accused, fired for another reason, may be back in uniform soon.

In Louisiana, a Messenger of Change Disregards His Message

James Stewart, Caddo Parish’s DA, continues to defend controversial death sentences that originated with his predecessors.

In Pennsylvania, Detention as a First Option

Heavy reliance on pretrial incarceration in Berks County subjects people to poor medical care and unsanitary and unsafe conditions.

Pleading Guilty to Get Out of Jail

The criminalization of poverty in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, has led to a staggering increase in incarcerated people, all at a huge cost for defendants and taxpayers alike.

A New Moral Panic Targets Moms

In Pennsylvania, mothers are harshly penalized for leaving children unattended in vehicles, even for several minutes.

New Data Reveals the Racial Disparities in Pennsylvania’s Money Bail Industry

Despite accounting for less than 12 percent of the state’s adult population, roughly 40 percent of all bail bonds were issued in cases involving a Black defendant.

A White Woman Was Caught On Tape Selling Heroin, But Police Arrested A Black Woman Instead

In a case of mistaken identity, Jada Noone was arrested by Pennsylvania State Police, spent 15 days in jail and faced a felony drug case before charges were dismissed. She’s now suing over her false arrest.

Durham Connects Transportation and Criminal Justice Reform, New York Tackles Discovery and Bail

Also today: An interview with a candidate for DA in Pittsburgh

Daniel Nichanian, Joshua Vaughn

"We Need to Shift Our Efforts to Restoring People:" An Interview with Turahn Jenkins, a Pennsylvania Candidate for DA

Women Say Pennsylvania Cop Committed Sexual Assaults, Recorded Them on Body Camera

Their claims are part of a federal lawsuit; other women say they, too, were assaulted and the officer now faces a raft of criminal charges.

Man Charged With Homicide For Sharing Drugs With Woman Who Later Died

Under Pennsylvania’s drug delivery resulting in death statute, a man faces up to 40 years in prison for sharing heroin with a woman who overdosed.

Pennsylvania Man Charged With Homicide Wasn’t Even Present When Victim Was Killed

Darius Jacob Taylor wasn’t in the state when a robbery he was allegedly involved with ended in murder. But because of the felony murder rule, he’s charged with criminal homicide and faces life imprisonment.

In a Pennsylvania County, Black Children Are Disproportionately Charged in Adult Court

In 2016 and 2017, more than 80 percent of children charged as adults by the Allegheny County district attorney were Black.

D.A. Charges Pittsburgh Mom After Toddler’s Mysterious Death from Fentanyl in Sippy Cup

Despite looming questions about what happened, Jhenea Pratt is now facing life without parole.

After Pittsburgh Decriminalizes Pot, Black People Are Still Disproportionately Charged With Possession

About 51 percent of the people charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana in Allegheny County are Black.

In One Pennsylvania County, Rape Victims Rarely Find Justice

Since 2015, police in Adams County have taken dozens of reports of rape, yet charges were filed in just two cases.

Pennsylvania Prosecutors Pursue Charges For People Who Fall Behind On Rent-To-Own Payments

The state’s “theft of leased property” statute allows prosecutors to seek felony charges for Pennsylvanians who miss payments on rental items.

In Pennsylvania, Defendants Pay A Fee Just To Plead Guilty

The ‘plea fee’ stems from a state law passed in the 1980s and can cost nearly $200, depending on the county.

Proposed Pennsylvania Bill Would Force Patients With Chronic Pain Into A Treatment Agreement

A bill introduced in the state would require all chronic pain patients to enter into an agreement with their doctor before being prescribed opioid medication for the first time.

Failure-to-Comply Arrests Reveal Flaws in Sex Offender Registries

In one Pennsylvania county, more than three times as many people on the registry were charged in 2016 with failing to follow registry requirements than were charged with a new sexual offense

A Pennsylvania Man Survived An Overdose Only To Be Charged With Homicide

York County resident Aaron Hinds overdosed on heroin with a friend. The friend died, and Hinds now faces a 'drug delivery resulting in death' charge and a 40-year prison sentence.

Prosecutors and Judges in Pennsylvania County Hammer Defendants in Low-Level Drug Cases

In overdose-wracked Franklin County, Pennsylvania, a small-time dealer is denied bail, while the number of drug induced homicide cases has skyrocketed.

A Black Man Called The Cops Nazis–And Was Charged With A Hate Crime

A Pennsylvania hate crime statute is being used by law enforcement to punish angry arrestees.

High Schooler Faced 25 Years on the Sex Offender Registry–For Engaging In Oral Sex

At a Pennsylvania school, an 18-year-old female student was arrested for a consensual sexual act with a 16-year-old boy.