The proposal includes new public defense positions and emergency measures to help find lawyers for hundreds of unrepresented criminal defendants.
Emily Allen
Staff Writer
Emily Allen covers courts for the Portland Press Herald. It's her favorite beat so far โ 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.ย
Judge lowers bail for Farmingdale man in death of Waldoboro man
Jason Hewett, 39, has denied allegations that he killed Kyle MacDougall.
‘No easy fix’ to Maine’s indigent defense crisis, director tells lawmakers
The executive director of the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services tells the Government Oversight Committee that defendants in over 860 criminal cases need an attorney.
Hancock County probate judge sanctioned by state bar board
Under an agreement with the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar, William Blaisdell is allowed to practice law but must be supervised by another attorney. Maine’s highest court is still considering whether to discipline him as a probate judge.
Maine is still sending psych patients to controversial South Carolina hospital despite complaints
Justin Butterfield, 35, was committed to a state psychiatric hospital after killing his brother during a mental health crisis. His family is worried about him after he was transferred to a private hospital in South Carolina that has been likened to a prison.
Teens escaped from Long Creek by jumping from roof
The breakout from the state’s only youth prison kicked off a 3-day manhunt, and both young males now face multiple charges after police say they stole 3 cars and crashed 2.
Details emerge in manslaughter case involving death of Owls Head toddler
In a hearing to reconsider Aziayh Scott’s bail, prosecutors said Scott made numerous calls to his girlfriend from jail, asking her to tell police that he didn’t kill her 2-year-old son.
Senate confirms Portland attorney as new federal judge in Maine
Stacey Neumann, a partner at Murray Plumb & Murray in Portland, will fill an opening left by Chief U.S. District Judge Jon Levy.
Maine high court considers disciplining Ellsworth probate judge who didn’t pay taxes, child support
William Blaisdell is an elected probate judge in Hancock County and a private lawyer who was recently handling court-appointed cases.
Fired Maine Catholic priest officially defrocked by Vatican
Anthony Cipolle was fired from the diocese in 2020 after it was revealed that he was having inappropriate relationships with a parishioner, who was later killed by her brother-in-law.