Pennsylvania Lifers
Claim A Right To Parole
By: J. Jay VanHoot
Five Pennsylvania prisoners serving life sentences have filed federal habeas corpus petitions pursuant to 28 USC 2254 alleging that they are entitled to be eligible for parole. All the petitions follow a form authored by Jon Yount, (AC-8297, 1100 Pike Street, Huntingdon, PA 16654) a prisoner at the State Correctional Institution at Huntingdon in Central Pennsylvania. A motion has also been filed to consolidate the individual petitions into a single class action.

The pending petitions were filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. They are:

Craig v Frank, 99-CV-504 (Bucks County)
Smith v Frank, 99-CV-561
Green v Frank, 99-CV-634
Fox v Frank, 99-CV-636 (Lancaster County)
Alston v Frank, 99-CV-712 (Bucks County
One of the petitioners was sentenced for first degree murder under the old Penal Code, 18 PS 4701. Two of the petitioners were sentenced for first degree murder pursuant to 18 PaCS 1102(a). Two petitioners were sentenced for second degree murder pursuant to 18 PaCS 1102(b). All are serving life sentences.

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