Juvenile Justice
Void All Juvenile Rulings By Corrupt Pa. Judge, Overseer Tells Top State Court
Posted Aug 12, 2009, 04:13 pm CST
By Martha Neil
Thousands of juvenile convictions tainted by the work of a corrupt Pennsylvania judge should be dismissed and not retried, a judge appointed by the state supreme court recommended today.
All juvenile rulings made by former Luzerne County president judge Mark Ciavarella during a roughly five-year period between 2003 and 2008 should be voided, says Berks County Judge Arthur Grim. It will now be up to the state's top court to decide whether to accept Grim's recommendation, reports WNEP.
Ciavarella and another former Luzerne County judge have pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges and have been accused of taking some $2.6 million in kickbacks in exchange for sending juveniles to for-profit detention facilities.
Related earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: "Reverse $3.5M Verdict Due to Taint of Corrupt Judges, Overseer Tells Top Pa. Court"
ABAJournal.com: "Judge Rejects Plea Deal for 2 Ex-Judges in Pa. Pay-for-Jailed-Kids Case"
Philadelphia Inquirer: "New law creates panel to probe judicial corruption"
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