2 Pa. judges to plead guilty to public corruption

[sasquatch]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090127/ap_on_re_us/courthouse_corruption;_ylt=AjIcwUAyhpVGoolHeo7RS11bIwgF
SCRANTON, Pa. – Two Pennsylvania judges agreed Monday to plead guilty to fraud charges accusing them of taking $2.6 million in kickbacks in return for placing juvenile offenders into certain detention facilities.

The plea agreements for Luzerne County President Judge Mark Ciavarella and Senior Judge Michael Conahan call for sentences of more than seven years in prison. Ciavarella resigned from the bench in a Jan. 23 letter to Gov. Ed Rendell. Conahan has agreed to resign within 10 days of a judge's acceptance of the plea.

Authorities say the judges took kickbacks between 2003 and 2007 in exchange for guaranteeing the placement of juvenile offenders into facilities operated by PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care LLC. In some cases, Ciavarella ordered children into detention even when juvenile probation officers did not recommend it.

<snip>
Jessica Van Reeth, then 16, was sent to a juvenile wilderness camp for three months after admitting that she had possessed a cigarette lighter and pipe in school. She told The Associated Press last year that the items were found in a purse she agreed to hold for a friend. The family, expecting probation, waived her right to a lawyer, unaware of the potential consequences.

Jack Van Reeth said Monday his daughter is "extremely happy. She said that this is better than Christmas
<snip>
Sick fucks!

[skygazer]

1. "Held for a friend"

Yeah, I've used that one too.

And no, I don't think three months in a wilderness camp is a fair sentence but that line did crack me up. Nobody can come up with anything better than that?

[sasquatch]

2. She took a drug test afterwards and passed

http://www.jlc.org/files/luzernecounty/Exhibit_A.pdf