The trial of 20-year-old Jouse Kadriel Ortiz-Serrano, who has admitted to the fatal shooting of a man he believed had weeks earlier shot his father, began Tuesday morning in the courtroom of Lebanon County Judge Bradford Charles.
Chris Coyle
Chris Coyle writes primarily on government, the courts, and business. He retired as an attorney at the end of 2018, after concentrating for nearly four decades on civil and criminal litigation and trials. A career highlight was successfully defending a retired Pennsylvania state trooper who was accused, 40 years after the fact, of falsifying evidence in a 1970s murder case.
LebTown is his first foray into reporting, motivated by the decline of the once-great, locally-owned print newspaper he grew up with and read daily. Chris lives in the city of Lebanon. He holds degrees from Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (and misses Pittsburgh every day). He and his wife have two grown sons and a few grandkids. He enjoys all kinds of music, tinkering with electronic stuff, and lifting weights to avoid becoming a shriveled old guy.
Posted inNews
Police and fire chiefs update Lebanon City Council on status of departments
Lebanon City Council gets update on the state of the city’s police and fire departments, handles other business at September meetings.
Posted inCrime & Safety
Jury to decide degree of guilt for admitted 2022 killer
A jury in Lebanon County court will decide this week whether admitted killer Josue Kariel Ortiz-Serrano should be convicted of premeditated murder or a lesser degree of murder.
Posted inCommunity Shoutouts
Family, friends celebrate World War II veteran Frank Stellar’s 100th birthday
Over a hundred friends and family gathered on Saturday to honor World War II veteran Frank Stellar on his 100th birthday
Posted inCrime & Safety
17-year-old Lebanon teen charged in triple homicide will be tried as an adult
17-year-old James Fernandez-Reyes, charged for his part in a May 2023 shooting that left three dead and another injured, will stand trial as an adult, Lebanon County Judge Charles T. Jones ruled yesterday.
Posted inNews
What happened to the ‘bank clock’ on Cumberland Street?
The old “bank clock” that stood for decades on the sidewalk at 760 Cumberland is gone. LebTown looks at its history, and whether another could some day stand on the spot.
Posted inCrime & Safety
Trial for 5th Street triple murders could be delayed until next spring
The trial of three defendants charged with a May, 2023 triple murder on Lebanon’s north side could be pushed into next spring, depending on the outcome of pretrial legal motions.
Posted inNews
No date yet for hearing on American House license revocation appeal
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services officials say the license revocation appeal filed by the operator of the American House personal care home at 25 S. 9th St. in downtown Lebanon is still in its early stages, and a hearing date has yet to be scheduled.
Posted inCrime & Safety
New trial ordered for man convicted in 2015 for fatal drug-related shooting
Nine years after he was convicted by a Lebanon County jury of 1st degree murder and 19 other offenses resulting from a 2014 drug-related shooting, Eddie Williams has been granted a new trial by a federal court, because his absent co-defendant’s confession was read to the jury.
Posted inPeople & Places
Local mental health professional wants to help the helpers
Those whose job is to help and protect others know something the public rarely sees: Sometimes they get as sick as, or sicker than, those they treat. Kayla “Bird” Kressler knows. Now, she’s turning her attention to helping her fellow caregivers.
Posted inNews
DA files charge against local constable she says left gun in court restroom
Long time Lebanon City Constable James Drahovsky faces criminal charges based on allegations he left his loaded handgun in an unlocked public restroom at a magisterial district justice’s office when it was open to the public
Posted inNews
Commission meets to organize merger of N. Lebanon and N. Cornwall police forces
The Lebanon County Regional Police Commission met on Aug. 27, the first of several planned meetings, to work out the details of the merger of the North Lebanon and North Cornwall police departments, scheduled to go live in January.
Posted inNews
City Council acts on money matters, roads and highways, at August meeting
At its August meeting, Lebanon City Council passed several resolutions and ordinances dealing with streets, firefighter pensions, and the allocation of federal grant money.
Posted inNews
Cumberland Street repaving from 5th Avenue to 16th Street starts this week
Cumberland Street, the city’s main westbound traffic artery, will be repaved from 5th Avenue west to 16th Street starting the week of Aug. 26. The project is expected to be completed in September.
Posted inNews
Ribbon-cutting ceremony gives first look inside new Lebanon Junior High School
Lebanon School District opens new $62 million Junior High School to alleviate district-wide overcrowding, educating 900 7th- and 8th-graders starting this fall.
