Press Coverage
The following stories are the latest of Attorney John B. Carlson‘s cases that appeared on TV or in the news. Click the story links to learn more:
September 28, 2023: Ex-secretary Pleads to 2 of 19 Charges; Remaining 17 Counts Dismissed Pursuant to Plea-Bargain – An ex-secretary charged with harassing and stalking other women at the Erie County Courthouse has reached a plea-bargain. The secretary, represented by defense attorney John Carlson, pled guilty to only 2 of 19 charges filed against her. The remaining 17 charges were dismissed. The plea-bargain brought a conclusion to the lengthy investigation and high-profile case.
July 24, 2023: SUPPRESSION GRANTED and CASE DISMISSED – DUI and Felony Endangering charges: Attorney Carlson successfully defended his client who was charged by State Police with 4 counts of DUI (M1 grade) and felony Endangering Welfare of Children (F3 grade). Following testimony taken at both the preliminary hearing and a suppression hearing, all charges were DISMISSED.
April 19, 2023: Outside Judge Assigned to Hear Case Against Ex-secretary at Erie County Courthouse – A judge from another county has been assigned to preside over the case of a former courthouse secretary charged with 19 criminal counts of harassment and stalking. The outside assignment resulted from a potential conflict of interest arising from those involved in the case being known to the Judges of Erie County. The ex-secretary’s lawyer, Attorney John Carlson, has been fighting to get the charges dismissed and argued that the letters did not rise to the level of threats and that some of the letters were sent in a time frame that falls outside the statute of limitations.
March 30, 2023: Former Judge’s Secretary Charged With 19 Counts of Harassing and Stalking at Courthouse – A retired Judge’s secretary was accused of sending 70 threatening letters over 4 years to 6 women who worked at courthouse. She hired well-known, Attorney John Carlson as her defense lawyer. Following a lengthy preliminary hearing and zealous cross-examination, Attorney Carlson argued for dismissal of the charges.
August 30, 2021: NOT GUILTY Verdict – Murder / Homicide: Man Acquitted of Fatal Shooting Outside Strip Club. Attorney Carlson successfully won a NOT GUILTY verdict for his client accused of homicide and 7 other charges.
August 28, 2021: Self-defense, Murder or Manslaughter? Jury to Get Case of Shooting Death Outside of Strip Club.
August 12, 2021: Lawsuit Filed in Erie Daycare Fire that Killed 5 Children; 25 Defendant’s Sued. Two years after a fire ripped through an Erie day care killing 5 children, a large-scale lawsuit seeks to place blame for the tragedy.
November 6, 2020: Melee Recounted as Charges Head to Trial in Fatal Shooting Outside Strip Club.
November 5, 2020: Judge Sets Bail for Man Charged in Fatal Shooting: Although bail is not typically set for defendants charged with homicide, Attorney Carlson and co-counsel successfully obtained bail for their client.
June 23, 2020: Woman Gets Reduced Sentence in Fatal DUI Crash: In this case, the client had been charged with 25 separate charges for 2 DUIs occurring on separate days. The mandatory minimum sentence was 39 to 78 months but the actual sentence would have likely been closer to 60 to 120 months (i.e. 5-10 years) given the accident involved the death of one passenger and serious bodily injury to another. However, Attorney Carlson successfully fought to suppress the blood-intoxication evidence after it was obtained by police without a valid search warrant. Following suppression of the evidence, Attorney Carlson effectively negotiated a plea-bargain to 4 charges and a minimum sentence of 27.5 months (i.e. just over 2 years) in jail.
January 31, 2020: Woman Pleads Guilty in Amity Crash That Killed Passenger: After originally being charged with 25 crimes in 2 different DUI cases, Attorney Carlson negotiated a plea-bargain to 4 charges. The plea agreement will also eliminate the mandatory minimum 3 to 6 year sentence the defendant was facing if convicted. This conclusion resulted from Carlson successfully arguing that blood evidence was illegally obtained by police.
January 27, 2020: Police Issue Arrest Warrant for Third Suspect in Fatal Shooting
December 14, 2019: Erie malpractice lawsuit ends in $1.25 million verdict
November 26, 2019: $1.25 Million Dollar Medical Malpractice Verdict: An Erie County jury awarded a major financial verdict to the estate of a woman who suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage after she sought medical care for persistent headaches. The lawsuit claimed that the doctor should have done more to investigate the cause of the patient’s headaches before her death.
September 13, 2019: NOT GUILTY Verdict – Felony Robbery Charge: Attorney Carlson successfully defended his client who was charged by City of Erie Police with felony Robbery, Theft by Unlawful Taking and Receiving Stolen Property. Following testimony taken during a 3-day jury trial, the jury returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY on all charges.
September 4, 2019: Mother of 2 Year Old Killed in Erie Day Care Fire Hires Highly Recognized, Local Attorney John Carlson together with SMBB: Coverage of this case was televised by both NBC/CBS and FOX.
July 24, 2019: Is there Really Truth and Justice for All? Podcast: Listen to attorney Carlson’s interview about his defense of a young man wrongfully charged with murder and how he fought to have him cleared at trial.
May 2, 2019: Waterford Woman Held for Trial in Fatal DUI Crash
February 19, 2019: Former Corry Student Gets 90 Days Probation for Threats to Shoot Up School: This story was also covered by The Corry Journal.
November 7, 2018: NOT GUILTY Verdict – Drunk Driving Incident: Attorney Carlson successfully defended his client who was charged by PA State Police with DUI, Accident Involving Damage to Vehicle/Property, Notice of Change of Name or Address, Failure to Notify Change in Address, Operating Vehicle without Required Financial Responsibility, Disregarding Traffic Lane, Careless Driving, Failure to Stop and Give Information or Render Aid, and Restrictions on Alcoholic Beverages. Following testimony taken during a 1-day jury trial, the verdict was NOT GUILTY on all charges.
January 26, 2018: NOT GUILTY Verdict – 1 Convicted, 1 Acquitted in Erie Drive-by Murder Trial: Attorney Carlson successfully defended his client who was charged by City of Erie Police with, among other things, Murder of the First Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Aggravated Assault, Carrying a Firearm Without a License, and Recklessly Endangering Other Persons. Following testimony taken during a 4-day jury trial and after nearly seven hours of deliberations, the jury of eight women and four men rendered a split decision finding one defendant guilty of first-degree murder and all other charges; he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no parole. Conversely, defendant Demond D. Mitchell, age 21, who was represented by Attorney John Carlson, was found NOT GUILTY of all charges. The verdict brought one of Erie County’s most recognizable and intricate homicide cases to a conclusion. Coverage of this case was televised on NBC/CBS.
January 25, 2018: Reluctant Witnesses Take the Stand in Erie Drive-by Murder Trial
January 24, 2018: Guns, Fingerprints are Focus of Erie Drive-by Murder Trial: Coverage of this case was also televised by NBC/CBS.
January 17, 2018: Jury Selection to Start in High-Profile Erie Murder Trial
June 26, 2017: Erie Police Officer Acquitted of Assault is Reinstated: Coverage of this case was also televised by FOX.
June 21, 2017: Jury Acquits Erie Officer of Assault Charge
June 19, 2017: Trial Testimony Begins: Erie Officer “Kicked” and “Stomped” Suspect: US News and the Associated Press also provided national coverage of this case.
December 20, 2016: Erie Police Officer Headed to Trial on Assault Charge: Coverage of this case was also televised by NBC/CBS and FOX.
October 26, 2016: Erie Police Officer’s Assault Case Gets Moved Out of the City
October 18, 2016: Erie Police Officer Charged with Assault: Coverage of this case was also televised by FOX.
October 3, 2016: Attorney Says Police May Have Arrested the Wrong Man in 2015 Shooting of 2 Erie Teens
September 30, 2016: Erie Double Homicide Defendants Seek Pretrial Rulings
August 7, 2016: Carlson: ‘High Ranking’ Gang Member at Center of Double Homicide
August 3, 2016: Carlson says evidence suggests Erie Double Homicide is Gang Related
July 22, 2016: Juvenile or Adult Court for Young Murder Suspect? Attorney John Carlson Weighs In
July 19, 2016: Defense Attorney Weighs in on Bolden Case
June 15, 2016: Erie Lawyers Dispute Superior Court Ruling, Which Allows Hearsay Evidence at Hearings
May 3, 2016: “Textalyzer” Could Allow Police to Search A Driver’s Phone
July 22, 2015: Juvenile or Adult Court for 14-Year-Old Murder Suspect? Attorney Weighs-In
March 19, 2015: NOT GUILTY Verdict: Man Cleared in Attempted Murder Trial
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Listed Below Are Older Headlines Of Cases Involving Attorney Carlson’s Years Of Hard-fought, Winning Experience.
- April 20, 2011: Erie Men Sentenced In Fatal Shooting
- April 15, 2011: Erie Man Gets 5 Years In Jail for Homicide
- March 4, 2011: Robbery-Murder Case Ends with Two Very Different Plea Deals
- February 25, 2011: Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter In June 2010 Shooting
- June 11, 2010: Men Face Trial In Erie Homicide Case
- September 12, 2009: Plea, Parole Ends Case of Fatal Erie Fight
- July 30, 2009: Teen Shooter: ‘I didn’t want to hurt anyone’
- July 1, 2009: Teen Seeks Juvenile Trial
March 7, 2009: Was New Year’s Death Result of Assault or Self-defense?- November 4, 2008: Citing Missing Cocaine, Erie DA Drops Drug Charges
- July 23, 2004: NOT GUILTY Verdict: Homicide Trial Ends In Acquittal
- Jul 20, 2004: Homicide Trial Opens With Videotape
- July 19, 2004: Homicide Trial to Begin
- March 3, 2004: Homicide Defendant Stays In Jail For Now
- February 18, 2004: Woman Calls Stabbing Accident
- February 3, 2004: Police: Woman Admits to Fatal Stabbing
- January 16, 2004: Detective Confronts Prosecutor
- January 16, 2004: NOT GUILTY Verdict: Athlete Acquitted of Sexual Assault
- January 13, 2004: Trial Opens In Athlete’s Assault Case
- July 18, 2002: NOT GUILTY Verdict: Jury Acquits Edith Treiber
- July 17, 2002: FBI Informant: Edith Treiber, Son Conspired
- June 12, 2001: Edith Treiber to Learn Court Fate Today
- June 21, 2001: Judge Strikes Down New Megan’s Law
- May 1, 2001: Rapist Challenges Megan’s Law
- January 23, 2001: Defense: Teen’s Confession of Rape Not Valid