Posted on 07/31/2009 3:17:37 PM PDT by Born Conservative
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was posted at 4:39 p.m.
Read more Luzerne County Judges articles
Related Document read the judge's ruling
SCRANTON - A federal judge rejected the plea agreement of former Luzerne County Judges Mark A. Ciavarella and Michael T. Conahan.
Senior U.S. Judge Edwin Kosik issued an order today critical of comments and conduct of the two men after they entered their guilty pleas earlier this year to serve 87 months in prison.
Kosik noted the presentence report for Conahan said he "refused to discuss the motivation behind his conduct, attempted to obstruct and impede justice and failed to clearly demonstrate affirmative acceptance of responsibility with his denials and contradiction of evidence."
Ciavarella's is"less obstructive" the judge wrote. But Ciavarella's denials of a "quid pro quo" are "self serving and abundantly contradicted by the evidence the government proffers as offense conduct."
Kosik noted the plea agreements were well below the guidelines and said the defendants and government have the right to withdraw from the pleas within 10 days of his order.
For the complete story read The Times Leader tomorrow.
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