February 16, 2011
Ever wonder how and why corruption in Luzerne County could possibly have gotten as bad as it is? All you have to do is look at how corruption is dealt with once it has been exposed. The best and brightest U.S. Attorneys that the United States Government has to offer are botching the "kids for cash" Ciavarella case right before our very eyes. Seasoned, highly paid prosecutors have sat on their hands to the point that the Judge has objected to statements made instead of them. Now they have rested their case without providing any evidence to support some of the most hideous portions of this criminal prosecution. I would think there are more than a couple of very angry FBI agents wandering around Scranton today wondering what the heck is going on here. It makes me think if maybe the Feds should have just left us alone. At least before they showed up we knew who the bad guys were.
The Times Leader - Shock in the courtroom
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Kids for Cash Scandal
February 13, 2011
I hope everyone takes the time to read the actual court transcripts that are linked below. This type of conflict of interest occurs a lot more than this court, any court will ever admit. I am not just talking about taking bribes. I am talking about serious conflicts of interest between the judge and one of the participating parties that is intentionally and illegally hidden from view by the judge. Just imagine being in court for any reason, spending the money for competent representation and believing in the RULE of Law only to have the outcome of your case decided before a single sentence of testimony is heard. I am here to tell you it happens all the time. I have written about this very subject extensively in my book "The Luzerne County Railroad". It is a massive nationwide scandal. The worst part of this story is that all of the checks and balances that are in place to oversee the courts allow this massive fraud to be perpetrated against its citizens without hesitation. If you don't believe me, just ask anyone who has filed a complaint with the Judicial Conduct Board. As you will read in my book, I was one of those poor souls who filed such a complaint.
Citizen's Voice - Attorneys describe hostile atmosphere in courtroom
McCarron Court Transcript
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Thoughts about Judicial Corruption
February 11, 2011
A FedEx box stuffed full of cash destined for Luzerne County Judges as bribes. It use to be plain white envelopes but since we stopped printing one thousand dollar bills it has now become necessary to use boxes for such transactions. When I think back at all of the far out and bizarre rulings that have come out of the Luzerne County Courthouse absolutely NOTHING surprises me. More money has been stolen in Luzerne County with a briefcase and a gavel than ever with a gun. It is not only the arrogance by which these travesties occur but the confidence of the perpetrators that alarms me most. Residents of Luzerne County have been begging for help with this corrupt courthouse for decades to no avail. This is exactly what happens when all of the systems and safeguards are as corrupt as the judges they oversee.
Citizen's Voice - Former prothonotary Moran all boxed up
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Kids for Cash Scandal
February 9, 2011
It appears that even the FBI and US Attorney’s Office did not want to open this can of worms. Understaffing of both organizations is probably the reason. Both organizations appeared content with carving a few more notches in their proverbial briefcases and moving on. A public trial of this magnitude has huge ramifications. It has the potential to not only expose massive corruption that extends far beyond Luzerne County but more troubling massive cover up by sitting, “high profile” politicians and oversight organizations. The “Kids for Cash” scandal did not occur in a vacuum.
The Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board had a detailed complaint concerning this very matter in their possession 3 full years before the FBI arrested these judges. By sheer coincidence, I’m sure; the JCB not only failed to investigate these serious allegations as required by their own rules but in-fact permanently removed the judge from the bench that they suspected of providing all of the details in this very complaint. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court failed miserably when presented with an emergency “Kings Bench Petition” by a Philadelphia juvenile advocacy organization that detailed the alarmingly high incarceration rate of juveniles in Luzerne County. Did I mention a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice’s son owned half of the for profit juvenile prison in Luzerne County?
To top it off, there are huge conflicts of interest though out the JCB and the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline. I suspect that even the US Attorney’s office will attempt some sort of “damage control” during the trial as they are understaffed, overworked, and federal prison cells are in short supply.
The Legal Intelligencer - As Trial Approaches, Echoes of Ciavarella's Trip to the Stand
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Kids for Cash Scandal
February 8, 2011
There is a part of me that would love to make former Judge Ciavarella wear his Judge’s Robe while on trial. Without the robe he looks like Mr. Rogers. With the robe I would dare to say he would show the jury his true contempt for these proceedings. Kind of like a punk with a gun, without the gun he is just a punk. Without their robes, corrupt judges are nothing more.
Citizen's Voice - Former jailed juvenile hopes trial will bring justice
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Kids for Cash Scandal
February 5, 2011
We are about to see the real inner workings of the Luzerne County Courthouse on center stage, exposed to the world. Countless Luzerne County citizens have been screaming from the rooftops about the corruption of those who wear black robes and judge us for decades. I have personally done so for over 20 years. This is not the story of a single rogue judge who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. This is the story of an entire system of corruption that spreads all the way to Harrisburg. It is a system that is to this day protected by the powerful elite insuring that the common man doesn’t stand a chance. I am glad it is being exposed but at the same time I am embarrassed that it happened in the county of my birth.
Citizen's Voice - Filing: Mericle's generosity exceeded 'finder's fee'
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Thoughts about Judicial Corruption
February 3, 2011
A Citizen's Voice article entitled Mundy reintroduces juvenile court legislation opens with:
"State Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Kingston, has reintroduced legislation to allow the Juvenile Court Judges Commission to analyze court cases and trends in the system in response to the Luzerne County kids-for-cash scandal."
I believe this is not a Juvenile Justice problem at all. This problem existed and flourished in full view of the checks and balances that are in place to insure such things don't occur. It could have just as easily been automobile arbitration case fixing instead of a Juvenile justice problem. Specifically, the Judicial Conduct Board had most of the information regarding the criminal activity of Conahan and Ciavarella handed to them a full 3 years before the FBI arrested these Judges. Instead of investigating these very serious allegations as REQUIRED by their own rules the JCB hid this serious complaint and did absolutely nothing with it for three years. THREE YEARS! It then appears the JCB brought charges against the person (Judge Lokuta) who was suspected of filing this extensive and fact filled complaint. It also appears that Conahan and Ciavarella worked in concert with the JCB to remove Judge Lokuta from the bench and were successful in doing so.
Representative Mundy, you can analyze all of the data you want. Until a FEDERAL investigation of the JCB is conducted and the results are shared with you and the public, this type of thing will happen again and again. The system all the way to Harrisburg is corrupt. If the FBI did not come into Luzerne County and make these arrests, the Luzerne County Juvenile Prison would be full to capacity and probably overflowing right now. Please provide the citizens of Luzerne County something of substance. You have all of the same facts that I have and a whole lot more.
Citizen's Voice - Mundy reintroduces juvenile court legislation
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Kids for Cash Scandal
January 31, 2011
Upwards of 40 Complaints filed against Conahan and Ciavarella and all were dismissed by the Judicial Conduct Board when in fact C&C admitted they were committing unspeakable felonies while on the bench. Most of the witnesses who testified against Judge Lokuta have been arrested, removed from office, or worked directly for those who have. The Chairman of the Judicial Conduct Board was business partners with Conahan. Attorney Dick Sprague who spearheaded the removal of Judge Lokuta while sitting on the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline also represented Attorney Powell and the very prison that the “Kids for Cash” scandal revolves around. And if this was not enough Attorney Powell’s partner in the prison ownership was none other than the son of retired Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Zappala.
The Supreme Court has ALL of this information and a lot more yet they refuse to grant Judge Lokuta another trial while they have done so with just about every other litigant that has touched this scandal. I am convinced that the Supreme Courts biggest fear is the exposure of wrong doings by the Judicial Conduct Board should another trial be granted to Judge Lokuta I also believe this entire matter is a shining example of how and why the “Kids for Cash” scandal not only happened but flourished for years right out in the open. I sure hope the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are looking hard at this entire situation. This is not about whether or not Judge Lokuta acted like Judge Judy. This is about the “Rule of Law” and everyone’s federally protected Constitutional Rights.
The Times Leader - Lokuta requests new look at ruling
I posted the links to the original January 14, 2011 documents from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in an earlier blog. For your convenience, here they are again:
PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT OPINION
CONCURRING OPINION OF JUSTICE BAER
DISSENTING OPINION OF JUSTICE SAYLOR
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Current News
January 26, 2011
Count me among those who used the terms, "Unbelievable, Shocking, and Disappointing.” Add to that list “Totally Predictable.” Many months ago I publicly predicted that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court would NEVER rule in favor of a new trial for Judge Lokuta. I also stated that their decision would have NOTHING to do with the facts of the case or the law of the land but rather more with their concerns surrounding a new trial and the exposure that the Judicial Conduct Board would then receive. I strongly believe that the Supreme Court would love for this entire issue to just go away and die a natural death. I am here to tell you that I have made it my “Life’s Mission” to see that nothing short of a Federal Grand Jury investigate the Judicial Conduct Board and if need be the Supreme Court itself. Anyone with evidence of JCB abuses can forward their information to me directly via e-mail at JCBComplaints@live.com.
Unfortunately, I have had first hand dealings with the JCB and I am here to tell you that the JCB needs to be examined from top to bottom. Decades of operating in “Secret” and not being held accountable to anyone but the Supreme Court Justices themselves has made for quite a witches’ brew. Mr. Grezlak, Editor-in-Chief of The Legal Intelligencer outlines the issues very clearly. A first year law student could see the absolute need for a new trial in the Judge Lokuta matter. Major questions abound surrounding the JCB’s handling of this case as well as many, many other cases. This should have been the Court’s obvious conclusion. Instead of the Supreme Court stepping in and saying, “Wait a minute, something is very wrong here and it needs to be corrected” they have taken the position that EVERYTHING was done “correctly” and we all just need to move on. In doing so I believe the Supreme Court has in fact acknowledged their own complicity.
The Legal Intelligencer - Justices' Refusal to Grant Retrial to Lokuta Further Weakens Suspect System
For further research about the Judge Lokuta appeal and to read the original court documents from the January 14, 2011 decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, read my blog here:
"Were the Proceedings to Remove Judge Lokuta Tainted?"
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Thoughts about Judicial Corruption
January 22, 2011
I just read a new blog about the "Kids for Cash" scandal on the website "Judicial Council Watcher". The link to the website is at the end of this blog.
As an author, I want to start off by telling you that your article was extremely well written, informative, and thought provoking. Good job!
I am a Luzerne County native and am in the process of writing a book about the, “Kids for Cash” scandal. In part, my Preface reads as follows:
"The nagging question is why would an entire “Judicial System” with its layers of overlapping protections and redundant safeguards knowingly allow such horrible things to happen to the most vulnerable members of our society? This book will give you the answers. They are answers that you will not like.”
Another quote from my first book about the corruption in Luzerne County goes as follows:
“Our country is being seriously tested today on many fronts. All of these fronts are important to our future. Not one person amongst us should try to impact all of these challenges but all of us should have an impact on some of them. We are failing miserably when it comes to our judiciary and most certainly our political representation. We should never allow attorney/politicians who have become judges demand of us that we blindly trust them. They are to be held accountable and they are to be kept under a microscope at all times. They, of all professions, need to be held to the highest of all standards and unfortunately, not trusted, but scrutinized on a daily basis. Folks, we simply have it backwards.”
I am hearing horror stories from people from all over the United States concerning our corrupted judiciary. Things appear worse than I ever imagined. I would venture to say our situation may be as bad as when we as a country broke away from “Mother England.” I am not kidding. Children being imprisoned for bribe money. Judges are issuing rulings not based on law, but on political or personal preference only to have appeals courts “rubber stamp” these illegal and unjust rulings as final and enforceable. We have the systematic targeting of vocal critics of the “system” and the subtle and not so subtle silencing of them. It is truly a frightening time in America.
Finally, here is the most important point that I would like to make. As important as exposure is, it is but the first step. Don’t assume that once a scandal or illegal activity is exposed someone will take it from there and do something about it. Public pressure on prosecutors and legislators is essential. Keep in mind that all prosecutors and legislators are first politicians.
Judicial Council Watcher - Kids for Cash blog
Posted by Larry Hohol. Posted In : Thoughts about Judicial Corruption
