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Commonwealth vs. Purnell

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Comfort Dogs Allowed For Some During Criminal Trials, PA Supreme Court Rules Comfort Dogs Allowed For Some During Criminal Trials, PA Supreme Court Rules
Comfort Dogs Allowed For Some During Criminal Trials, PA Supreme Court Rules Comfort dogs will be allowed in criminal trials, but only under certain conditions, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. To avoid any potential prejudice to the defendant's right to a fair trial, a comfort dog may accompany a trial witness if the animal will allow the witness to testify in a reliable and truthful manner. The ruling stems from a 2018 murder trial in Chester County where Melody, a comfort dog, was allowed to sit next to a child witness during testimony, according to the Chester County District Attorney's Office. Sheron Jaeln Purnell was found guilty of the 2016 mu…

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by Nicole Acosta