Posted on 02/04/2009 8:24:46 AM PST by Born Conservative
HARRISBURG -- State lawmakers are seeking ways to compensate children sent to detention centers by a pair of Luzerne County judges charged with taking kickbacks for sending juvenile defendants to facilities in Luzerne and Butler counties.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Stewart Greenleaf said yesterday he would hold a hearing to find ways to help the children and their families. One option is to provide money from the crime victims compensation fund, said Mr. Greenleaf, R-Montgomery.
The hearing, which has not yet been scheduled, is at the request of Republican Sens. Lisa Baker and John Gordner, whose districts include parts of Luzerne County.
They made the request yesterday, the same day a third Luzerne County court official was arrested in the ongoing corruption probe.
Court Administrator William T. Sharkey Sr., 57, of West Hazelton, yesterday agreed to plead guilty to embezzling more than $70,000 in illegal gambling money seized by authorities between June 1998 and June 2008.
Two other county court officials were charged last week with fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud.
Judge Mark A. Ciavarella and former Senior Judge Michael T. Conahan are accused of taking $2.6 million for sending children to two facilities owned by Pittsburgh businessman Greg Zappala.
Judges Ciavarella and Conahan each could face prison terms of up to seven and three months, according to the terms of plea agreements they signed last week.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
FEDS CALL SHARKEY ON SCHEME (another one down in judicial corruption case
Pa. Supreme Court to review juvie cases (Fed case against judges)
Luzerne County Judges suspended by state Supreme Court
Dyller eyes potential lawsuits (Fed case against corrupt PA judges)
Feds: Judges used system to enrich selves
U.S. Attorney: Ciavarella, Conahan agree to serve 87 months in prison (County Judges)
Ping
Some juvenile centers are as bad or worse than adult ones. Abuse is widespread. Sending juveniles to imprisonment unnecessarily is loathsome. I can’t believe they are considering ‘months’ in prison as a punishment. Are these judges still free?
The judges agreed to a plea bargain, which goes before a Federal judge next week. Both judges were relieved of their duties, but Ciavarella is still being paid! (Conahan retired previously, and most recently worked per diem; I think he is still drawing his pension).
There has been speculation that 1. the plea offer was so that they didn’t have to release other info linked to ongoing investigations and that 2. Ciavarella may not sign the plea bargain, and it will go to trial.
The money portion is criminal, but ruining some kids’ lives is reprehensible.
I think that movie was FILMED in Luzerne County :)
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