By Tim Binnall
The owner of a Pennsylvania metaphysical shop that received a visit from police earlier this year reportedly plans to file a lawsuit over what they contend is an unconstitutional ban on fortune telling in the state. The peculiar case began back in October when Beck Lawrence's newly opened Serpent’s Key Shoppe and Sanctuary in the community of Hanover caught the attention of local authorities following a newspaper profile wherein they mentioned offering tarot card readings. This prompted police chief Chad Martin to stop into the shop with a warning that Pennsylvania law prohibits such divination. Lawrence subsequently detailed the weird encounter with the cops in a series of TikTok videos, which led to the story being picked by media outlets across the country.
Still perturbed by what had occurred, the metaphysical shop owner enlisted attorney Alexa Gervasi, who echoed her consternation over the situation. "I was shocked that this law is still on the books in Pennsylvania," she marveled to a local TV station, observing that "it was first written in 1861, and it reads like it was written in 1861." Declaring that she was "absolutely appalled" by Martin's visit to the shop, Gervasi argues that the ban on fortune telling is a violation of Beck's First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. "The government can’t put in place arbitrary barriers to pursue your work to earn a living," she posited, "and that is exactly what this statute does."
Hoping to rectify the dispute, Gervasi first sent the Hanover police department a letter in which they sought assurance that they would not enforce the 162-year-old law. In response, an attorney for the department said that while they have no active investigation into prohibited fortune telling at the shop, they also could not "waive liability to enforce the law." At a legal impasse, Gervasi now plans to file a lawsuit on Lawrence's behalf in the hope of ultimately striking down the Pennsylvania law as unconstitutional. Discussing the impending action, the metaphysical shop owner mused that "it's not about me. It's about not only honoring my ancestors and the people who fought and died to have their religious freedoms, but also for the future."