
Bobby Allyn covers courts, criminal justice and breaking news for WHYY. Before coming to Philadelphia, he was in Nashville, where he wrote about legal issues and urban change for regional and national newspapers. He spent his last year there as a reporter for Nashville Public Radio. Before that, he was a staff writer covering federal courts for the Tennessean. His stories have been heard on NPR’s Morning Edition, All Things Considered and other shows. Bobby grew up near Wilkes-Barre, a small blue-collar town in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He is a first-generation college graduate who studied philosophy and journalism at American University in Washington. At other points in life, he has lived and worked in Brooklyn, Portland, Ore. and Sweden. He enjoys bike commuting and black coffee.
More from the Contributor
The end of civil asset forfeiture? U.S. Supreme Court ruling has advocates hopeful
The U.S. Supreme Court placed limits on the civil asset forfeiture, but Pennsylvania’s high court already reined in the program throughout the state.
1 day ago
Pa. weighs plan to tax violent video games to fund school security
The video game tax would pay for bulletproof glass and metal detectors at schools, but researchers say the proposal is misguided.
1 week ago
Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians on food stamps have to wait until March before the next round of SNAP benefits.
2 weeks ago
Listen 3:56Federal prosecutors sue to stop nation’s first planned ‘supervised injection site’ in Philly
The civil lawsuit is the first time the federal government has intervened in the hotly debated issue of supervised injection sites.
2 weeks ago
After year one, Philly DA Larry Krasner earns praise from reformers, scorn from victim advocates
After a year in office, Larry Krasner, considered one of the most progressive district attorneys in the nation, sees himself as orchestrating his own movement.
2 weeks ago
Listen 5:52Pa. political powerbroker ‘Johnny Doc’ indicted on corruption charges
John Dougherty’s mighty labor union is one of the top contributors to Democrats in races at both the state and city level.
3 weeks ago
Feds set to charge Pa. political kingpin ‘Johnny Doc’ after years-long corruption probe
Dougherty's mighty labor union in Philadelphia is one of the top contributors to Democrats in races at both the state and city level.
3 weeks ago
N.J. contractor pleads guilty to union bribes linked to Local 98 probe
The charges are linked to a years-long federal probe into the operations of Local 98, Philadelphia’s powerful electricians' union.
3 weeks ago
Food stamp crisis looming in Pa. because of government shutdown
The partial federal government shutdown is threatening food stamp benefits beyond February. Pennsylvania officials see a crisis coming in the next few weeks.
4 weeks ago
Although Philadelphia is about 43 percent black, police stop black drivers nearly 66 percent of the time, according to an analysis of vehicle stop figures.
1 month ago
Suspect in death of South Philly dog walker held on manslaughter charge
A Philadelphia resident police say threw the punch that led to the death of man walking his dog has turned himself in to police.
1 month ago
Philly prosecutors discover mysterious ‘six boxes’ connected to Mumia Abu-Jamal in storage room
Philly DA Larry Krasner found six file boxes connected to the case of convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. His supporters say it may point to his innocence.
1 month ago
Listen 1:26