Prosecutors obtained a plea deal with a Chesco, Pennsylvania, woman who was originally charged with violating the state statute against fortune telling, a third degree misdemeanor. Instead, April Seven Uwanawich pled to the lesser charge of criminal mischief and made restitution to the woman who had brought the complaint. Ms. Uwanawich also escaped prosecution on a number of other charges. Read more about the case in the Pottstown Mercury here.
Here's the text of the Pennsylvania statute (18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7104), which reads as do many other state laws on fortune telling.
§ 7104. Fortune telling.
(a) Offense defined.--A person is guilty of a misdemeanor of
the third degree if he pretends for gain or lucre, to tell
fortunes or predict future events, by cards, tokens, the
inspection of the head or hands of any person, or by the age of
anyone, or by consulting the movements of the heavenly bodies,
or in any other manner, or for gain or lucre, pretends to effect
any purpose by spells, charms, necromancy, or incantation, or
advises the taking or administering of what are commonly called
love powders or potions, or prepares the same to be taken or
administered, or publishes by card, circular, sign, newspaper or
other means that he can predict future events, or for gain or
lucre, pretends to enable anyone to get or to recover stolen
property, or to tell where lost property is, or to stop bad
luck, or to give good luck, or to put bad luck on a person or
animal, or to stop or injure the business or health of a person
or shorten his life, or to give success in business, enterprise,
speculation, and games of chance, or to win the affection of a
person, or to make one person marry another, or to induce a
person to make or alter a will, or to tell where money or other
property is hidden, or to tell where to dig for treasure, or to
make a person to dispose of property in favor of another.
(b) Advertising as evidence.--Any publication contrary to
this section may be given in evidence to sustain the indictment.
(c) Competency of witnesses.--Any person whose fortune may
have been told shall be a competent witness against the person
charged with violating this section.
Notice that one of the elements of the offense is acceptance of payment ("for gain or lucre"). See also comments on Legal Juice here.
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