Advocate to adversary | Morning Newsletter
And sports gambling’s “mental health crisis.”
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Happy Pa. Primary Day 🗳️. It’ll feel like summer with record-challenging heat. Check Inqurier.com throughout the day to get the latest election news. Also, don’t forget to use our voters guide as a reference before you head to the polls.
An Inquirer and ProPublica investigation reveal that Philadelphia’s post-conviction system repeatedly delayed or denied justice for wrongfully convicted people.
And the U.S. Senate is set to examine the impact of gambling on the integrity of professional sports.
Plus, SEPTA is planning extra service and free rides for the World Cup, and more news of the day.
— Taylor Allen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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If a person in prison loses their appeal, they can challenge the conviction with new evidence or argue that their defense attorney was ineffective. If they aren’t able to afford an attorney, the court will provide one.
The catch: When the court-appointed attorney determines the challenge is baseless, they can submit a no-merit or Finley letter, in which they advise the court to shut down the challenge.
These letters were found in about one in five cases of overturned convictions and sentences in Philadelphia since 2018, according to an investigation from The Inquirer and ProPublica.
The examination found that lawyers wrote Finley letters without pursuing claims that courts later determined warranted new trials or sentences.
A U.S. Senate subcommittee will convene on Wednesday to examine the growing gambling industry’s impact on the world of professional sports.
Notable quote: “The American public needs to understand how the leagues have monetized their data, and have monetized their relationship with gambling companies,” said Harry Levant, a former Philadelphia attorney who is now the director of gambling policy for Public Health Advocacy Institute. “And they’re doing it on the backs of younger and younger Americans.”
Last year, Americans wagered a record $165 billion on sports and 20 million people reported experiencing “problematic gambling behavior.”
Inquirer’s David Gambacorta explains why there’s a legislative effort push to address the issue.
What you should know today
Comcast is sponsoring U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy’s reality-TV-style show on YouTube promoting America’s 250th birthday. The show features Duffy and his family on a cross-country road trip.
Environmental, labor, and community leaders are asking New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill to ban new data centers.
John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty took the witness stand at a federal hearing Monday to ask a judge to release him from prison early so he could provide care for his gravely ill wife.
Tower Health reported a $3.6 million operating loss during the initial nine months of the 2026 fiscal year.
Philadelphia’s Democratic City Committee and State Sen. Sharif Street’s campaign sent anonymous texts attacking his opponent in the 3rd Congressional District race, State Rep. Chris Rabb, days before Tuesday’s primary election.
SEPTA is planning to run additional services and provide free rides for the World Cup.
A co-owner of EMei has bought the landmark Rittenhouse property that housed the Irish Pub.
Quote of the day
As a Temple alum, I had to include these words from Colman Domingo. It’s graduation season and we have a list of more memorable moments from this year’s Philly-area commencement speeches.
🧠 Trivia time
Philly Music Fest will return in October with 25 bands playing over nine nights at six different venues.
How many years has the Philly Music Fest been around?
A) 5
B) 9
C) 10
D) 15
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re …
🏡 Admiring: This week’s House of the Week, a mid-century modern home in Wyncote.
🕶️ Considering: What makes the most sense economically for a summer vacation: The Outer Banks, the Jersey Shore, Dublin, or Mexico.
🍷 Watching: Philly’s first urban walking wine tour.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Pocket watch frenzy
ALARMING FOUL SKIPS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Leslie Lemon, who solved Monday’s anagram: Maple Syrup. Pennsylvania has a small but mighty network of maple syrup producers, and this winter didn’t treat them well.
Photo of the day
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