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Their view: Are Beijing and Washington headed toward a new Cold War?

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PA Live appearance Oct. 18

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A Luzerne County judge has allowed a man serving two sentences of 26 years to life in prison in a double murder case the right to an appeal after his attorney failed to file necessary paperwork in a timely manner.</p><p>Kenneth Carl Crawford III, 35, originally of Oklahoma, has been in prison since 2001 after he was accused of killing Diana Algar and Jose Molina at the Paradise Camp Resort in Hollenback Township.</p><p>Crawford was given a new sentence earlier this year on the back of a Supreme Court decision that prevents mandatory life sentences for offenders who were minors at the time of their crime &#8212; Crawford was 15 when he killed Algar and Molina &#8212; but that decision doesn&#8217;t prevent life sentences for minors either.</p><p>Luzerne County Judge Fred A. Pierantoni III issued the new sentences in April, leaving Crawford without a hope of getting out of prison until 2052, unless his newest appeal goes through.</p><p>At a brief hearing Friday morning, Pierantoni granted Crawford the right to appeal his sentence. Crawford&#8217;s attorney, Sara Jacobson, filed a motion last week saying that a recent appeal was denied by the state Superior Court because she failed to file a notice of appeal in the legally allotted 30-day time-frame.</p><p>Jacobson said it was due to her own actions that Crawford&#8217;s appeal was denied, and that he should have another chance.</p><p>At Friday&#8217;s hearing, Assistant District Attorney Jim McMonagle said prosecutors had no objections to allowing Crawford to appeal.</p><p>As such, Pierantoni granted Jacobson&#8217;s request, this time only giving her three days to file the notice of appeal.</p><p>Crawford, who did not appear at the hearing due to a conflict preventing him from using a video call, remains incarcerated at SCI Greene in western Pennsylvania.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Crawford </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL020118Crawford2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Crawford </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Murderer Crawford granted right to another appeal