Juvenile Court judge convicted in Kids for Cash incarceration scheme

[Exotix]

Judge deserves the max for racketeering.

Today

Judge deserves the max - AltoonaMirror.com - Altoona, PA | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - The Altoona Mirror



A former state juvenile judge deserves the maximum possible sentence after being convicted of racketeering in connection with a "kids for cash" scheme.

Former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella was convicted of 12 charges, including racketeering, money laundering and conspiracy for taking a $997,600 kickback from a builder of the for-profit juvenile detention facilities reportedly in exchange for sentencing minors there.

The jury acquitted Ciavarella on 27 other counts.

Ciavarella, who maintains his innocence, testified he viewed the money just as a finder's fee and said he never took a dime for sending a juvenile anywhere.

The cases against Ciavarella and a second former judge, Michael Conahan, are appalling not only because they abused the positions of power but also because their actions violated the rights of thousands of children who appeared in their courts.



Ciavarella's actions were egregious enough that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has set aside 4,000 juvenile convictions because of the judge's "complete disregard for the constitutional rights of the juveniles."

Sadly, while the records of the juveniles were wiped clean, it cannot undo the harm inflicted on these children and their families from Ciavarella's actions.
Authorities say he often sentenced youths to detention facilities for even minor offenses, and many times, they were ordered immediately shackled and taken away without a chance to say goodbye to their families.

The fact that Ciavarella was released on bail immediately after his conviction understandably angered some of his victims and their families.

While Ciavarella could be sentenced to a maximum of 157 years in prison, prosecutors say he likely will receive about 12 years to 15 years.

Given the harm he caused to the justice system and especially the juveniles, who he was supposed to being watching out for, Ciavarella deserves a sentence far longer than what federal guidelines suggest.

Such a serious abuse of power should be dealt with harshly.





Video inside ~ 'Rot in hell !' Heartbroken mom whose son committed suicide confronts crooked judge.


'Rot in hell!' Heartbroken mom whose son committed suicide confronts crooked judge (VIDEO)








Mark Ciavarella and another judge were accused of collecting $2.6 million in kickbacks from private, for-profit juvenile detention facilities to keep the centers' bunks full of juvenile offenders.

[ChasC5]

I wonder how many Republicans you'll find who will stand up for the Judge?

[Exotix]

Originally Posted by ChasC5

I wonder how many Republicans you'll find who will stand up for the Judge?

The judge only cares about himself .. of what's going to happen to him ... his buddys are the first to throw him under the bus ... yes, the (R) way since Alan Cranston (who got mixed up with the Charles Keating Reaganites) to gay (R)'s first busting out on the scene all the way to todays' Bush neocons ...