VIDEO-A mother's anger boils over at a former judge whom she blames for son's suicide

[LostAmerican]

Very sad!

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

 

[Silkcity19]

If you followed this story it is one of the most barbaric stories of how this judge and his buddy ruined countless lives of children to line their own packets with millions, He should be put in a public courtyard and stoned to death by all the families he damaged

 

[GHook93]

For underage drinking and paraphania possession! WTF?

 

[Silkcity19]

He was taking brides from a youth boot camp facility. Everyone that went before him got sent there. Total dick bag, hope he is made a boy toy when there put him in jail

 

[westwall]

That judge should be hung by the neck until dead.

 

[Intense]

Prosecutors say former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella used children as pawns, locking them up unjustly in a plot to get rich. Ciavarella is accused of taking nearly $1 million in kickbacks from owners of private detention centers in exchange for placing juvenile defendants at their facilities, often for minor crimes. Ciavarella claims that the payment he received from a developer of the PA Child Care facility was legal and denies that he ever incarcerated kids for money.

"Absolutely never took a dime to send a kid anywhere," said Ciavarella.

Ciavarella, 61, was found guilty of 12 out of 39 charges on Friday, including racketeering, money laundering and conspiracy, in connection with the nearly $1 million payment from Robert Mericle, the developer of the PA Child Care center. He plans to appeal. Ciavarella was acquitted on charges of bribery and extortion in relation to additional payments from the center's builder and owner.

Families complain of Ciavarella's rapid-fire brand of justice and trials that lasted only minutes with even first-time offenders sent to detention centers.

In one reported case, Ciavarella sentenced a child to two years for joyriding in his mom's car. In another, he sentenced a college-bound high school girl to three months in juvenile detention for creating a website that made fun of her assistant principal. Some of the kids he ordered locked up were as young as 10.

"The numbers of children going into placement in Luzerne County tended to be two to three times higher than in other counties," said Marsha Levick, deputy director of the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia.

Mark Ciavarella, Former Pa. Juvenile Court Judge, Convicted in Alleged 'Kids for Cash' Case - ABC News

 

[Intense]

There is yet more fallout from the federal corruption trial of a former Luzerne County judge. Now, there is an employee inquiry at the Luzerne County Courthouse.

Last week, Mark Ciavarella was found guilty of racketeering and other charges in connection with a kickback scheme connected to private juvenile detention centers.

During the ex-judge's trial in Scranton, there was testimony from one current Luzerne County court employee.

Nick Callen, once a tip-staff to former judge Michael Conahan told jurors he delivered packages to former Judge Conahan but said he did not know what was inside them. Prosecutors said the packages contained money.

Conahan has pleaded guilty to racketeering.

Callen now works as a tip-staff to senior judges in Luzerne County.

Prosecutors also mentioned another current Luzerne County court employee, a court stenographer, who they said took money from Conahan.

That woman did not testify. Because of that information, Luzerne County's President Judge Thomas Burke has ordered an investigation into those employees.

In a statement, Burke called the inquiry "A personnel matter to ascertain whether there is a basis for disciplinary action."

Starting next month Senior Judge Brendan Vanston of Wyoming County, will review the matter and then make a recommendation to the court.

Luzerne County Court Workers Investigated - WNEP

 

[Dr Grump]

A 'for profit' juevenile centre? You have to be fricking kidding me...