Ciavarella Scandal Takes a Dramatic Turn
Posted by Trevor Reid on August 26, 2009
Luzerne County, PA, judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan, who had plead guilty in connection with a scheme to sell juveniles into private prison, have withdrawn those pleas. This came in response to a federal judge’s finding that the accused had not held up their end of plea agreements.
So, the case of the two judges accused of corruption will now go to trial. At least a trial will afford a fuller public window on the extent and consequences of any scheme. The two will likely face much harsher sentences than the 87 months they had bargained for when pleading guilty.