Best PFA Lawyer Pittsburgh
Despite PFA, Man Guns Down Ex-Girlfriend
A Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order is a powerful tool that aims to restrict a perpetrator of domestic violence from having any contact with his victim.
But sometimes a PFA is just a piece of paper.
Earlier this year, 46-year-old business owner Stacey Pennington of central Pennsylvania was shot and killed by her former boyfriend Patrick Derr. She had an active PFA that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
Four different women got PFAs against Mr. Derr in the last 20 years. Accusations included rape and multiple incidents of choking and strangling.
But none prevented the murder-suicide that occurred this past Labor Day in Mt. Gretna, a small town of just 1,500 people located 40 miles east of Harrisburg.
“She was the sweetest woman in the whole wide world,” said one woman at Ms. Pennington’s memorial.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate representation for plaintiffs and defendants in PFA hearings. For a free consultation, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Pittsburgh Man Faces Death Penalty
The Allegheny County district attorney’s office last month said it will seek the death penalty against Pittsburgh man James Karr, who is accused of knocking his wife unconscious and setting her on fire. The announcement came just ten days after Pennsylvania’s governor placed a moratorium on the death penalty.
Maureen Karr, an administrator at UPMC Mercy, got a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order against her husband in December on grounds that he threatened to burn their house down. James Karr ignored the court order, killing his wife just hours after appearing at PFA Court in downtown Pittsburgh, according to police.
Prosecutors say the grisly incident met several criteria for the death penalty, which will be sought if James Karr is convicted of first-degree murder.
There are 186 death-row inmates in Pennsylvania, including nine from the Pittsburgh area. The state’s last execution occurred in 1999.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive defense in all PFA and criminal hearings. Call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.