Tribune News Service

1. Pennsylvania state Senator charged with child pornography allegations

Pennsylvania state Senator, Michael Folmer, resigned Wednesday, Sept. 18, after the police had found child pornography on his phone.

Earlier in the week police had received a tip from Tumblr about a user who uploaded child pornography. This tip was then traced to Folmer’s home and a search warrant was requested by police. According to CNN, after the police searched Folmer’s house they were able to officially charge him with “sexual abuse of children, possession of child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility.”

A preliminary hearing for his case is scheduled for Sept. 26. 

In the meantime, Folmer’s seat will remain vacant until the Senate holds a special election to fill the seat. 

2. New York Fashion Week sparks school shooting controversy

 

 

The American fashion brand Bstroy received backlash following New York Fashion Week, after they displayed school-shooting themed hoodies at one of the shows. The hoodies were designed by Brick Owens and Duey Catorze. They read “Stoneman Douglas,” “Sandy Hook,” “Virginia Tech” and “Columbine” – four of the deadliest school shootings in the U.S.

Emily Dixon, a writer of CNN, noted a person’s comment on a photo of the Stoneman Douglas Hoodie.

The person wrote, “My dead classmates dying should not be a … fashion statement.”

3. Statute of limitations is extended for rape in New York 

On Wednesday, Sept. 18, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that extends the statute of limitations for sex crimes. The new law increases the statute of limitations for both second-degree rape and third-degree rape. It doubles for third degree rape, increasing from five to 10 years, and quadruples for second-degree rape, increasing from five to 20 years. 

 

 

The law also eliminates the statute of limitations for first-degree incest, extends the statute to 20 years for second-degree incest and sexual acts, extends the statute to 10 years for third-degree sexual acts and increases the amount of time given to victims to file a court case to 20 years. 

Cuomo said in a statement to CNN, “This new law recognizes the injustice that has gone on for far too long and honors all the women who have suffered this pain and all the advocates who had the courage to come forward and tell their story so that other women may be spared the pain.”