Pa. judges accused of jailing kids for cash

Pete C · February-11th-2009, 05:48 PM

Talk about despicable...

Pa. judges accused of jailing kids for cash

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MARYCLAIRE DALE, Associated Press Writers Michael Rubinkam And Maryclaire Dale, Associated Press Writers 19 mins ago

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – For years, the juvenile court system in Wilkes-Barre operated like a conveyor belt: Youngsters were brought before judges without a lawyer, given hearings that lasted only a minute or two, and then sent off to juvenile prison for months for minor offenses.

The explanation, prosecutors say, was corruption on the bench.

In one of the most shocking cases of courtroom graft on record, two Pennsylvania judges have been charged with taking millions of dollars in kickbacks to send teenagers to two privately run youth detention centers.

"I've never encountered, and I don't think that we will in our lifetimes, a case where literally thousands of kids' lives were just tossed aside in order for a couple of judges to make some money," said Marsha Levick, an attorney with the Philadelphia-based Juvenile Law Center, which is representing hundreds of youths sentenced in Wilkes-Barre.

Prosecutors say Luzerne County Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan took $2.6 million in payoffs to put juvenile offenders in lockups run by PA Child Care LLC and a sister company, Western PA Child Care LLC. The judges were charged on Jan. 26 and removed from the bench by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court shortly afterward.

No company officials have been charged, but the investigation is still going on.

The high court, meanwhile, is looking into whether hundreds or even thousands of sentences should be overturned and the juveniles' records expunged.

Among the offenders were teenagers who were locked up for months for stealing loose change from cars, writing a prank note and possessing drug paraphernalia. Many had never been in trouble before. Some were imprisoned even after probation officers recommended against it.

...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090211/...ouse_kickbacks

Scott Dolan · February-11th-2009, 06:21 PM

Fucking outrageous.

They should both have thier nuts crushed.

Then fed into a meat grinder at a rate of about one inch of their bodies a day.

Monte Smith · February-11th-2009, 06:27 PM

Off with their fucking heads.

Scott Dolan · February-11th-2009, 06:41 PM

They should be charged with one count of felony child abuse for every juvenile they wrongly imprisoned.

Gary Sisco · February-11th-2009, 06:52 PM

I agree with your last, Scott, and seriously, too.

And they should be forced to do time in a real prison, in the population.

*And* have their assets seized.

jazzy mary · February-11th-2009, 06:52 PM

Unbelievable! One of the saddest, most disgusting things I've ever heard of!!

Gary Sisco · February-11th-2009, 06:55 PM

Minimum 20 years in the population, each, no chance of early release.

Scott Dolan · February-11th-2009, 06:57 PM

They wouldn't make it.

Funny things tend to happen to people in the joint who are charged with crimes against children.

jazzy mary · February-11th-2009, 07:02 PM

One thing is that those kids will have great lawsuits against the judges and the court system in Wilkes-Barre. It's scant repayment for the dreadful wrong done to them but they'll get a lot of money. As for the judges, well...they deserve to rot in prison.

Scott Dolan · February-11th-2009, 07:55 PM

It's no repayment at all.

Those cats inadvertantly fucked up a lot of young minds that will likely never recover from it.

Take it from one that has been there.

jazzy mary · February-12th-2009, 10:47 AM

I know you're right, Scott. It's terrible. They won't fully recover, no one does from trauma like that.

rollhead · February-12th-2009, 11:00 AM

hey, it is the capitalist system in action. Even private jails have the right to a profit.

what, you expect justice to be served WITHOUT someone making a dollar?

You limp-wristed liberlas.

me wag · February-12th-2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

They wouldn't make it.

Funny things tend to happen to people in the joint who are charged with crimes against children.

Probably a 100 times worse for judges especially corrupt ones.

rollhead · February-12th-2009, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

It's no repayment at all.

Those cats inadvertantly fucked up a lot of young minds that will likely never recover from it.

Take it from one that has been there.

I agree with you except on one point. I would change "inadvertantly" to "advertantly."

Scott Dolan · February-12th-2009, 11:05 AM

Well, the reason I used inadvertently was because I doubt these cats realized the emotional ramifications involved.

If they truly did, then they would be some of the most evil motherfuckers I've ever experienced.

Uli · February-12th-2009, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Take it from one that has been there.

living proof.

rollhead · February-12th-2009, 11:14 AM

I probably would have ended up in the hoosegow myself if my old man hadn't been a member of the local constabulary for 20 years. Cops tend not to arrest sons of their friends.

Gary Sisco · February-12th-2009, 11:22 AM

So if they don't make it, they serve serve life instead.

claude · February-12th-2009, 11:24 AM

There should also be some serious criminal charges for the dirtbags (executives at the jailcorps) paying the bribes also.

Gary Sisco · February-12th-2009, 11:28 AM

Same deal.

rollhead · February-12th-2009, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by claude

There should also be some serious criminal charges for the dirtbags (executives at the jailcorps) paying the bribes also.

Agreed.

But what is a campaign contribution other than a bribe?

No elected judge will send these scumbags to jail -- unless, of course, their jobs depended on it.

Scott Dolan · February-12th-2009, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uli

living proof.

I wouldn't be pointing fingers too much. Your obsession with (Ollie) the "aeblys" doesn't exactly paint you as a model citizen of stability.

Gary Sisco · February-12th-2009, 01:38 PM

Rimshot!

Al in NYC · February-12th-2009, 09:39 PM

This is what inevitably comes by giving away our public patrimony and public functions to private profit-driven enterprises. Can we finally be done with the insane fallacy, founded on ideology and greed rather than any actual experience, that private companies do things better and with less corruption, and that deregulating and privatizing our public services is somehow going to improve them and our lives?.

Tom Storer · February-13th-2009, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Well, the reason I used inadvertently was because I doubt these cats realized the emotional ramifications involved.

If they truly did, then they would be some of the most evil motherfuckers I've ever experienced.

I think it's every bit as wrong to have been, as they probably were, completely indifferent to the emotional ramifications involved.

jesus marion joseph · February-13th-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al in NYC

This is what inevitably comes by giving away our public patrimony and public functions to private profit-driven enterprises. Can we finally be done with the insane fallacy, founded on ideology and greed rather than any actual experience, that private companies do things better and with less corruption, and that deregulating and privatizing our public services is somehow going to improve them and our lives?.

I think having elected judges also contributes to the problem. We've long been criticized in Mass. for appointing judges, and I believe most states have elected judges, but that seems to me to be a recipe for disaster. Not only is there the issue of campaign contributions from attorneys who appear in front of the judges, but the judges have to spend time getting themselves re-elected.

Aside from all of that, this is a pretty hideous miscarriage of justice.

Pete C · March-27th-2009, 04:41 PM

Clean slate for corrupt judge's young victims in Pennsylvania

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009...lvania-victims

MRS · March-27th-2009, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesus marion joseph

I think having elected judges also contributes to the problem. We've long been criticized in Mass. for appointing judges, and I believe most states have elected judges, but that seems to me to be a recipe for disaster. Not only is there the issue of campaign contributions from attorneys who appear in front of the judges, but the judges have to spend time getting themselves re-elected.

Can you cite where most states have elected judges? Missouri made the shift to appointments in the early 80s. Prior to that only lower level magistrates had to run. I agree 100% with what you've said here. It's the very reason(s) behind the supreme court's life-long appointments.

Gary Sisco · March-27th-2009, 05:40 PM

Legal slate, maybe.

As already noted, the damage to the kids will be life long. Ain't any getting over it.

jesus marion joseph · March-27th-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRS

Can you cite where most states have elected judges? Missouri made the shift to appointments in the early 80s. Prior to that only lower level magistrates had to run. I agree 100% with what you've said here. It's the very reason(s) behind the supreme court's life-long appointments.

I found this: Nationwide, 87 percent of all state court judges face elections, and 39 states elect at least some of their judges, according to the Nationa Center for State Courts.