Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > News Items
Jailing Kids For Cash
Ursus:
[Local news video coverage of the following story accessible from title link.]
Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
Central Court's Future Debated at Hearing
Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Tuesday, Feb 24, 2009 @04:40pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- Should Luzerne County's Central Court stay or go? That's a question debated at a hearing Tuesday evening.
President Judge Chester Muroski held a hearing to find out the pros and cons of the facility. Central Court was started in 2002 by Judge Michael Conahan, but many people have called it a money pit.
Police officers from all over the county are weighing in. Kingston Township Chief Jim Balavage said, "In a poll of my officers the last couple of weeks, its about 95-percent approval rating of central court but it could be improved with some logistical and some technical changes."
People who are against Central Court want hearings to be held at their local magistrate's office.
In other court news former Court Administrator William Sharkey was officially fired Tuesday. Last week Sharkey pled guilty in Scranton to embezzling $70,000 in gambling money. Sharkey had been on unpaid suspension and medical leave before being fired.
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
Ursus:
This article refers back to that "secret probation parole program" that Judge Mark Ciavarella had going for adult inmates. See HERE for some earlier media coverage.
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[Local news video coverage of the following story accessible from title link.]
Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
Halfway House Caught in Middle in Corruption Case
Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2009 @04:37pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- The I-Team has confirmed that the FBI was in the Luzerne County Courthouse again this week and did speak with two judges. It's all part of their ongoing investigation. They say that does not mean those judges are the focus of the investigation, but they could provide background information on certain aspects of the federal probe.
And today we hear form the owner of a halfway house who got caught up in the controversy surrounding Judge Mark Ciavarella.
Crossing Over on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre is where some inmates, released early by former Judge Mark Ciavarella, were sent for rehabilitation. But some judges, like Peter Paul Olszewski, said they were never told about the change in sentence. They say [they] should have been since they handled the cases and some inmates should not have been released.
Jim Casey is the owner/operator of Crossing Over. He says he was following court orders. "Judge Ciavarella came in and said now he was going to be the only sentencing judge, that we need to talk to him. He explained it as being a simpler process when in reality it wasn't. It's a lot simpler for the sentencing judge. He has all information, he can get more people here."
Casey says his record stands on its own merit. The people who come here, the majority turn their lives around. He says he was not part of any Ciavarella conspiracy. He just wants to change the lives of those in trouble. "Out of 111 people that graduated our program, only two people are back in jail. That is the difference. They don't repeat. If they don't go to jail, the prisoner becomes a taxpayer, taxpayers don't pay, we all win," he explained.
New President Judge Chester Muroski changed the policy. Now the original judge will handle the case from start to finish.
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
Ursus:
GahLEEEE... yet another lawsuit. My bet is that there will be even more.
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[Local news video coverage of the following story accessible from title link.]
Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
Third Lawsuit Filed in Connection with Courthouse Corruption
Thursday, Feb 26, 2009 @04:25pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- A third lawsuit has now been filed in connection with corruption at the Luzerne County Courthouse. The juvenile law center in Philadelphia filed a class action lawsuit this morning. The complaint names more than a dozen defendants including judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan. Both judges pled guilty this month to taking kickbacks after arranging contracts between the county and private juvenile detention centers. Thursday's lawsuit represents more than 100 children and their families seeking compensation.
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
Ursus:
Finally, for the first time, local Pennsylvania media coverage mentions PA Child Care owner Gregory Zappala by name. What's up with that? See HERE for an intriguing possible connection between Gregory Zappala and Allegheny District Attorney, Stephen Zappala, Jr.
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Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
Juvenile Injustice System
Reported by: Eric Scheiner
Thursday, Feb 26, 2009 @06:53pm EST
WILKES-BARRE -- Corrupt judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan have admitted their guilt in taking kickback money for sending kids to certain juvenile centers. Now there's several different civil lawsuits being filed looking for monetary damages.
The judges are named in these lawsuits as defendants and in some cases, certain businessmen such as the owners of PA Child Care Robert Powell and Gregory Zappala are named as well. Who else should be listed?
Are those that turned a blind eye to the criminal activity in the courthouse share blame? Will state and county taxpayers end up having to pay for the deplorable criminal activities of the judges?
WYOU Interactive discusses the issues with Attorney Barry Dyller, Investigative Reporter Joe Holden and Lourdes Rosario of the Juvenile Law Center.
[Local news video coverage of the above story accessible from title link.]
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
Ursus:
[Local news video coverage of the following story accessible from title link.]
Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
Conahan/Mafia Ties
Saturday, Feb 28, 2009 @12:07am EST
Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County -
It all has to do with a series of reports the Citizens Voice Newspaper did in 2001. It claims Conahan had breakfast at least twice a month with D'elia. According to the paper, it was to make sure D'elia's friend, a Mountain Top business man, won a defamation suit against the paper. The Citizens Voice wants the State Supreme court to throw out the 3.5 million dollar verdict.
And for the first time we're hearing from the remaining judges. Field anchor Andy Mehalshick has more on this unprecedented event. It has never been done before in local broadcast journalism, a sit down interview with the "court en banc". Six of the remaining eight judges agreed to sit down with Andy Mehalshick to talk about the dark cloud that hangs over the courthouse. This comes as four high ranking Luzerne County officials face federal charges. This includes two of their former colleagues, suspended Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan. They admit to taking millions of dollars in kickbacks in a “Kids for cash scheme” in connection with a juvenile detention facility. These judges told Andy they feel betrayed.
Judge Joseph Augello, of Luzerne County says, "First of all I was shocked by the sheer breadth of the allegations. But I was more concerned that the pubic would now distrust everyone in public office. They mistrust public officials to begin with and the trust in the court would take a big hit."
The judges say they hope this interview will be a step in regaining the public trust in the legal system.
Andy's entire interview will air Thursday at 5:30 on WBRE TV.
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
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