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Jailing Kids For Cash
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Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
Justice for the Juveniles?
Reported by: Eric Scheiner
updated 11:46 p.m. ET, Tues., Jan. 27, 2009
WILKES-BARRE-- Luzerne County Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan are accused of collecting more than $2 and a half million dollars from the construction, expansion and operation of juvenile detention facilities as well as for the placement of juveniles in the facility.
The Juvenile Law Center filed suit last spring claiming hundreds of juveniles' rights were violated by Ciavarella. Many juveniles were not told of their right to be represented by attorneys and were given detention center sentences instead of probation, according to the group.
The State Supreme Court denied the center's petition for emergency relief against the county. Now they are looking at an appeal.
Parents who feel their children were incorrectly sent to juvenile detention centers by the two judges are looking at their legal options as well.
What legal options are available? What can parents who feel their kids were wrongly sentenced do? What will happen next?
WYOU Interactive discusses the issues with Attorney Barry Dyller, Mother of a sentenced teen Susan Mishanski and Marsha Levick from the Juvenile Law Center.
Local news video coverage on THIS page.
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
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Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
No Shortage of Reaction to Charges Against Judges
Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009 @10:00pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- There's no shortage of reaction to two Luzerne County judges charged with abusing their power. Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan are accused of using their position on the bench to steer kids to a juvenile detention facility. On February 12th the judges will make appear before a federal judge in Scranton for a formal court arraignment.
Today Eyewitness News spoke to a father who says his daughter was the victim of a crooked judge.
18-year-old Jessica from Mountain Top was one of dozens of teenagers sent to juvenile detention by Judge Mark Ciavarella. Her father, Jack Van Reeth, says she was a first time offender and non-violent.
He was told she would get probation. They got quite a surprise. “Going into the courtroom we were there for less than 90 seconds, at the end of which she was immediately put in shackles and taken off for 90 days to Camp Adams. We were speechless."
Judge Ciavarella and Judge Michael Conahan are charged with making money from their connection to the privately run, PA Child Care Center and taking kickbacks of more than $2 million dollars.
Jack says he knew something wasn't right from the beginning. "I want to remind him [the judge] words when he first ran for judge at the start of the political campaign. It's time for people to realize people who commit crimes will be punished," he said.
Meanwhile Civil Rights Advocate Attorney Barry Dyler is working with parents like Van Reeth into a possible lawsuit. "My initial concerns have little to do with being a lawyer and a lot to do with being a human being, a citizen. It's terrible that these children were treated as inventory and incarcerated because it was a money-making operation," he said.
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
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[Local news video coverage of the following story accessible from THIS page.]
Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
Ciavarella Speaks Out Through Attorney
Reported by: Joe Holden
updated 12:16 a.m. ET, Wed., Jan. 28, 2009
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- The attorney for embattled Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella disputed claims by federal authorities the judge made money off a scheme to imprison juveniles in select detention centers. Al Flora on Tuesday told Eyewitness News Ciavarella "specifically denies that he sent any child to any juvenile facility because of money that he received from any person."
The U.S. Attorney's Office mapped out its case against Ciavarella and Luzerne County Senior Judge Michael Conahan on Monday, dropping a bomb of accusations that rattled the county's legal system from the highest ranks on downward.
Conahan has not commented.
Ciavarella expressed concern about media reports through his attorney. Flora said most of those concerns dealt with print media outlets. He cited one specific example, pointing to a headline that alleged the judges "bilked taxpayers of $2.6 million." Flora said the headline was "factually inaccurate and not alleged in the charges filed by the government." Instead, the government, in its case, claims the money came from two private parties.
Flora acknowledged the case's complexity. In fact, Flora said the Governor's office had misinterpreted a resignation letter from his client. Ciavarella had resigned his office of president judge on Friday. He maintains his seat on the Court of Common Pleas. Governor Ed Rendell's spokesman told Eyewitness News they were under the impression Ciavarella had resigned from the court. Flora reiterated that was not so.
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
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One week after charges were filed against Luzerne County Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided to re-think its former stance.
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Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
Pa. Supreme Court reviewing county juvenile cases
Associated Press
updated 11:04 p.m. ET, Mon., Feb. 2, 2009
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is intervening in juvenile criminal cases in a county where two judges are accused of taking kickbacks.
Luzerne County President Judge Mark Ciavarella (shiv-ah-REL'-lah) and another judge have agreed to plead guilty to fraud charges announced last week by federal prosecutors. Authorities say they took kickbacks for placing juveniles in privately owned detention facilities.
The agreements call for sentences of more than seven years in prison. Their plea hearing has not been set.
An advocacy group called the Juvenile Law Center had asked the state Supreme Court to intervene. The court ruled Monday that it would do so. It had declined to do so before the charges were announced.
© 2009 The Associated Press.
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[Local news video coverage of the following story accessible from title link.]
Local news / Wilkes-Barre, PA
Latest in the Luzerne County Corruption Case
Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Monday, Feb 2, 2009 @09:07pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- Federal agents searched the home of a high ranking Luzerne County official in connection with the courthouse corruption investigation.
The search happened last Friday just days after Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan were charged with fraud. They're accused of taking millions in kickbacks in connection with the construction and operation of a private juvenile center.
Eyewitness News also learned that new President Judge Chester Muroski has suspended county payments to Court Administrator William Sharkey. Sharkey's been on medical leave since last August. But Muroski tells Eyewitness News that Sharkey has been "out and about" but not at work.
He's not officially named in the federal investigation, but federal agents seized records from his office last summer. Sharkey could not be reached for comment.
In other related news, the state Supreme Court says they will now look into hundreds of juvenile court cases at the request of the Juvenile Law Center. Several weeks ago they had said they would not review the rulings against teens who appeared in Ciavarella's courtroom without an attorney.
Copyright (c) 1998 - 2009 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
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