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Wheeler returned to donation drive
after his arrest |
Easton activist Lance Wheeler was arrested by Wilson Borough police on May 31 while conducting a donation drive for the Ferry Street fire victims. Easton City Council member Taiba Sultana was there, shot
a video of the actual arrest, and said she was outraged. Wheeler insisted on being cuffed and led away, even though he had previously been given several opportunities to surrender voluntarily. He wanted a show and could be heard blaming both DA Terry Houck and Easton Mayor Sal Panto as he was walked to a waiting police cruiser. According to both
Lehigh Valley Live and
Lehigh Valley News Wheeler allegedly threatened three students while driving a Wilson Area School District van. After nearly 10 months of delay, the charges against Wheeler were dismissed yesterday by Magisterial District Judge Alan Mege after the victims failed to appear.
Preliminary hearings had been scheduled in this case for June 21, July 11, August 23, October 20, November 30, January 19 and yesterday. All but yesterday's hearing were continued. Interestingly, Wheeler's lawyer, Glennis Clark, also represented some of the Commonwealth witnesses who appeared before the Grand Jury.
You won't see Lance's name on any campaign finance reports, but it's no secret that he was a big Baratta backer. He took Steve through Easton's west ward, introducing him to voters. He also introduced Baratta to one of the warring factions in the Sikh Temple dispute in Lower Nazareth Tp. Wheeler provided security there.
Wheeler told me believed his arrest was politically motivated because he supported Steve Baratta for DA and is the person who encouraged the Sikhs in Lower Nazareth to reach out to him. He also blamed Easton Mayor Sal Panto, although I'm unsure how Panto can issue orders to Wilson Borough police.
At one appearance, I'm told Wheeler shouted out to prosecutors and detectives that they'd be gone next month. Not long after that, one of the detectives and prosecutors involved received a letter from Baratta telling them to have their personal belongings out of the courthouse by January 2.
Under Pennsylvania law, the District Attorney has the authority to refile charges dismissed at a preliminary hearing. Double jeopardy is inapplicable at that point. Whether Baratta and Wilson Borough police want to pursue a case with reluctant victims seems unlikely.
Although Wheeler told me his arrest was politically inspired, he's now telling The Morning Call he was arrested because he's black. "My thoughts are with Lance and many other people of color who have encountered systemic racism leading to injustice," added state house candidate Taiba Sultana.
Interestingly, Lance's alleged victims happen to be black.
32 comments:
Wait a min. So, the victims were black, but his arrest is because he’s black, it’s no longer political?? And Mrs Sultana is his backer??? What the hell happened to Easton?? Home of the crazies!!! Wheeler has always been a POS but seems to haven gotten substantially worse.
“ Interestingly, Lance's alleged victims happen to be black”. Where are these victims? I see no victims except Lance himself. His case was delayed for 10 months, and do you not consider this injustice? The charges have been dismissed. Lance was right then, and he is right now. You owe him an apology for the damage caused to him and his family by including him in your blogs just to make a few bucks. Panto and his associates Ken Brown and Frank Pintabone owe him an apology. We all heard them label him as a felon when he was not.
Lance wasn't arrested because he is black. He was arrested because he is a low intellect goofball. He's also a hateful racist and things in his community won't improve until bigots like Lance grow old and go to Gracedale on the taxpayer dime, and eventually die and rot in hell. I wish him a long life here and an eternal stay in his richly deserved hell.
Attorney Clark represented witnesses in front of a grand jury proceeding that indicted an individual and then represented the indicted individual? in any other county, but Northampton, the district attorney, then under Houck, would have brought that to the attention of the defense attorney, as well as, the Court supervising the grand jury.
Aside from that ethical issue, this, no doubt, was a politically motivated prosecution. Good for Baratta for trying to clean up a mess of 2900 cases, including many without merit, that he inherited from the Terry Houck era. I hope they will not refile this.
sultana baretta wheeler, the complete bag of lack of integrity and honesty. My chia pet unicorn is more trustworthy
It is time for you and the Easton officials to cease harassing Lance and Taiba. Bernie, you may want to consider finding a different source of income instead of profiting from innocent citizens. I understand that you may be limited in your options since you were suspended from the Bar by the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. However, I still recommend that you seek a more ethical means of earning a living rather than aligning yourself with corrupt officials. You have all invested days and nights in 2023 destroying the lives of these two families, and now you have been proven wrong. Leave them alone now. The Easton government is corrupt, Scalzo is corrupt, and Terry Houck was corrupt. This has been proven. Panto and Scalzo had the authority to prevent Wilson from apprehending a well-respected nobleman who was helping the Ferry Street blaze victims, but they allowed it to happen.
Sultana reposting the original video when she blamed the Easton Police for Lances arrest yesterday is yet another example of how short short sighted she is.
I’ve yet to hear a reasonable explanation how this was racist or political in any way whatsoever.
It’s gonna be a real treat when she runs Lances campaign for city council.
The lawsuit against the school district is coming. Also, there is video of the incident, let’s see it.
" in any other county, but Northampton, the district attorney, then under Houck, would have brought that to the attention of the defense attorney, as well as, the Court supervising the grand jury."
I believe that matter was reviewed by the court. Att'y Clark acted professionally and ethically, but I'm sure that judicial review is part of the reason for the long delay. But I really am at a loss about why this case took 10 months to get a a preliminary hearing. I called Wilson Boro PD twice for some understanding, but never received a return call.
I am not going to allow a comment alleging current criminal behavior by someone unless you identify yourself so that the libel lawsuit can be directed at you.
Don’t you just hate when someone attempts to tell you what to say or do?
Especially when that person has incorrect information and still babbles on.
Terry Houck, a one-term District Attorney in Northampton's history, started his career as a Philadelphia police officer. He lacked the experience of being a DA and understanding what true justice entails. Additionally, you neglected to mention that Panto, Pintabone, and Scalzo supported both of Houck's campaigns. The arrests of Lance and Taiba were undoubtedly politically and racially motivated due to the involvement of those three officials. Barratta, a Judge with a strong commitment to upholding justice, can be credited with ensuring justice for Lance and Taiba.
Anonymous 7:14,
I'm only here to support Bernie and his blog by informing you that, as known local leaders and public figures, Lance and Taiba deserve the criticism they get when it's warranted. Hopefully the readers of this blog keep up the good work of informing the rest of us of their follies and foibles.
When I first read that the charges were dropped, I knew Bernie would fill in the story that the lazy, I mean understaffed, newspapers won’t. (Hard to believe The Express-Times, by association, has a Pulitzer) It seems fairly obvious to me that BaRATta was helped by Wheeler and that our esteemed DA shared information with him that he shouldn’t have, but what can be done when witnesses (minors) clam up? I don’t doubt the kids were unruly, just as I don’t doubt Wheeler did as he was charged, but at the end of the day, law enforcement can’t do anything without witnesses. The questions should be more “why” did the witnesses keep quiet (especially after a Child Line was filed), why did their parents not see this through, why was the same attorney allowed to represent both plaintiff and witness, and why has BaRATta chosen to alienate so many?
Lance has my respect, and I am glad to see his charges have been dismissed.
Good question, where are the victims and why didn’t they show up for court? It could be a lot of reasons. Maybe they were persuaded not to testify. Most school buses have video so let’s see if Mr. Wheeler is the victim or the asshole. In Sultanas case the video proved she was the asshole.
Watch the video it’s all over. Taiba is a child abuser. That’s it !! Her narrative is gone. We saw the video. And members of her staff for state rep have left her and called all D’S apologizing
Call it a night Sultana
Panto, Scalzo, and Pintabone are behaving inappropriately. They should undergo investigation and be removed from their positions. Pintabone openly supported Houck's campaign by accompanying him around the southside Easton. He proudly posted pictures of himself with Houck and Panto on his campaign page. Panto endorsed Houck's campaign, and the Easton Police Department also endorsed Houck's campaign. This raises questions about whether Taiba and Lance's arrests were politically influenced.
The video of Taiba’s arrest doesn't say if it was NOT political but playing it at political office during a public meeting proves that it was political.
Lance has been a court official and officer of the law for years. But as soon as he himself violates the law, he plays the race card. What a charlatan.
@1:08. How did he get your respect? I’ve known Lance for 45-50 years. He has only cared for himself. Everything he does for the community is at a profit to himself. He gets things donated or cheap and up charges. I’m not upset with that model, but it’s not community service. He has pissed off the Community Center, NAACP, Shiloh church and the city. Lance has a very bad temper that gets the best of him often. I’d love to see Lance get some help. Maybe drug treatment and mental health help. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Go home Tricia, you're drunk AGAIN
“Violates The law”? His charges are dismissed. Keep grasping the straw. You and your buddy Panto are losers.
3:38. Are you crazy?? Her kids called the police and one begged to file charges. The kids stated” she always beats them” The bruises were noted. She was arrested for that reason. Baratta played politics, if he thought the charges were no good he could have tossed them. He did not! He made her take ARD.
Based on Bernie's recent blog post, the child abuse case against Taiba was deemed unfounded, which contradicts your arguments. I watched the video showing her being very respectful and cooperative with the police. The entire situation appeared calm, and her arrest seemed unnecessary. The actions of the Easton police and Mayor Panto continue to highlight racism. Following other incidents, the mistreatment of Khanisa's Pudding Bar, a small business owned by a black couple, led to a lawsuit against the city. I'm pleased that they relocated their business to Allentown before facing arrest by Chief Scalzo and Mayor Panto, who hate people of color.
Panto, you are upset that your dream of screwing up Taiba and Lance didn't come true. But buddy, both cases have gone down the drain. Take your blood pressure pill and deal with that now.
I believe you’ll want to find the transcripts.
3:38. Thanks for your comment Taiba
" Based on Bernie's recent blog post, the child abuse case against Taiba was deemed unfounded"
Ummm...no? In reality, quite the opposite. you pled guilty Taiba. Stop trying to rewrite history.
Lance is a wack job....A wanna be copwho could never make it as a real cop...Hence the Constable position...Constable's have ZERO oversight or accountability...Every constable I ever met is a wanna be cop...
Taiba. Your kids were begging to press charges you pos
Let's set the record straight once and for all. As Mayor I have no law enforcement power and I have never involved myself in police matters. Police work is hard enough without political interference. My only involvement with Lance was to give him permission to use Centennial Park for his sale of mums and fall items during the fall at reduced prices for residents of the West Ward. That led t the sale of Christmas Trees, etc., food truck and trailer that became a neighborhood problem with neighbors calling to complain about the lack of parking due to the trailers. It became necessary to rescind his permit and ultimately city workers has to clean up the park and take away three truck loads of trash.
Lance is a good community worker who helps his neighborhood and its residents but sometimes he gets carried away and loses sight of his intended goals.
Incidentally, his arrest was by the Wilson police and yes it occurred in Easton but was not carried out by the Easton police.
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