Council member convicted of bribery, theft in kickback case

MEDIA, PA. » A suburban Philadelphia borough council member has been convicted of bribery and theft in what prosecutors called a kickback scheme involving security and surveillance equipment.

Jurors deliberated all day Friday before convicting former Upland Borough council president Edward Mitchell on theft by deception, criminal conspiracy and bribery counts. Jurors acquitted him of two counts of intercepting communications.

Authorities in Delaware County alleged that Mitchell, 75, received as much as $133,000 in 10- to 15-percent kickbacks on nearly $1 million in security and surveillance equipment installed between 2009 and 2015.

“We hold elected officials to a higher standard of conduct, and Edward Mitchell’s criminal behavior and violation of public trust is not only disappointing, but downright deplorable,” District Attorney Katayoun Copeland said. She said he should resign immediately but vowed to move for his removal after his Sept. 14 sentencing.

Mitchell, a Republican and former school board member, has served on council for 17 years, including eight as president. Defense attorney John Flannery Jr. said his client was disappointed but exploring a possible appeal.

Christine Peterson, who replaced Mitchell as borough council president in 2016, said she was pleased with the verdict and also called on Mitchell to resign.

“The borough needs to move forward and put this sordid chapter of the Mitchell era behind us,” she said.

Storm knocks out power to thousands of customers

PHILADELPHIA » Utility companies are working to restore service to thousands of customers left without power by last night’s storm in southeastern Pennsylvania and elsewhere.

Peco reports 1,589 customers without power in Bucks County and 1,425 customers without power in Montgomery County, along with 996 customers without service in Delaware County and 647 customers without power in Chester County.

FirstEnergy reports 1,834 customers without service in Berks County.

In central Pennsylvania, PPL reports 1,571 customers without power in Columbia County.

The National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey says the wet pattern continues this week with more scattered rain expected today.

Judge to decide on use of statements in woman’s slaying

UNIONTOWN, PA. » A judge will decide whether prosecutors can use statements from a man charged in the death of a western Pennsylvania woman hit by a bullet as she was looking out a window.

The (Uniontown) Herald-Standard reports that 30-year-old Ronald Crossland’s attorney says investigators knew his client had an attorney when they interviewed him in the death of 32-year-old Jacqueline Carey. A detective said he didn’t ask for an attorney but said he one was representing him on another matter.

Fayette County authorities say Carey was visiting her sister’s Uniontown home in November 2016 when a noise prompted the mother of six to look out a window and she was shot.

Police allege that Crossland and another man were asked to leave a party earlier and he had brandished a handgun.

Police: Man ejected from bar after racial remarks kills man

YORK, PA. » Police allege that a man was shot and killed outside a central Pennsylvania bar by another man who had been kicked out earlier following racial remarks to another patron.

Officials said 24-year-old Chad Merrill of Windsor was shot at about 1 a.m. Saturday outside the Red Rose Restaurant and Lounge in Hellam Township.

Twenty-three-year-old James Saylor of Lower Windsor Township was charged in York County with criminal homicide.

Witnesses said Saylor earlier had an argument with another man, who is black, and used racial slurs, after which he was removed from the bar. Police say Merrill was shot after he left the car and walked toward the suspect’s truck.

Court documents don’t list an attorney for Saylor; a listed phone number for him couldn’t be found Sunday.

Philadelphia sees spike in nonfatal drug overdoses

PHILADELPHIA » Health officials are reporting a significant spike in nonfatal drug overdoses or adverse reactions in Philadelphia.

Health Commissioner Tom Farley tells The Philadelphia Inquirer that the cluster was the largest he has seen in two years as head of the city’s health department.

Farley says seven people died of apparent overdoses between Friday night and Sunday morning, which is about the typical overdose death rate.