'Humiliated' ex-judge gets probation for running real estate business from chambers
Convicted earlier this year of theft of services and conflict of interest, for using his chambers and government staff to run a personal real estate business, a retired Philadelphia judge was sentenced Friday to three years of probation rather than jail time.
But former Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Willis Berry Jr., 73, still faces the possible loss of his pension and a likely restitution payment of over $110,000, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Berry, who retired in 2012, could have gotten as much as seven years. However, prosecutor Daniel Dye of the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office asked for no more than 12 months and even said probation would be fine.
“There was no evidence of malfeasance inside the courtroom,” Dye told senior Judge S. Gerald Corso, who ordinarily sits in Montgomery County. “He used the resources of his office for his own personal gain.”
A tearful Berry said he had been “embarrassed and humiliated” by the case, the newspaper reports.
“I’ve been dragged through the newspapers; all my family has been through this,” he told Corso. “I can deal with a lot of things. This is nothing compared to what I’ve seen a lot of other people go through. Whatever happens here, happens. I’m just anxious to get this behind me.”
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Fired secretary is star witness at trial of ex-judge accused of operating business from chambers”
ABAJournal.com: “Convicted of theft of $2K in services, ex-judge faces potential loss of $6K monthly pension”