In November 2019, the Overdose Prevention Program partnered with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Health in Justice Action Lab, and other stakeholders to deliver a first-of-its-kind training on criminal defense against drug overdose homicide cases in Pennsylvania.
The state currently leads the nation in these kinds of prosecutions, which can deter a lifesaving response to an overdose and reinforce the criminalization of people who use drugs. The event brought together expert presenters from across the country and more than 100 criminal defense attorneys from Pennsylvania.
The curriculum and presentation materials from the November 2019 training are available, and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has a useful resource page on drug overdose homicide.