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u.s. news Diahuebs 18 augustus 2022

Kids-for-cash judges ordered to pay more than $200M

(AP) - Two former Penn- ing them a chance to put up a
sylvania judges who or- defense or even say goodbye
chestrated a scheme to to their families.
send children to for-profit
jails in exchange for kick- “Ciavarella and Conahan
backs were ordered to pay abandoned their oath and
more than $200 million to breached the public trust,”
hundreds of people they Conner wrote Tuesday in his
victimized in one of the explanation of the judgment.
worst judicial scandals in “Their cruel and despicable
U.S. history. actions victimized a vulnera-
ble population of young peo-
U.S. District Judge Christo- ple, many of whom were suf-
pher Conner awarded $106 fering from emotional issues
million in compensatory and mental health concerns.”
damages and $100 million in
punitive damages to nearly The Pennsylvania Supreme
300 people in a long-running Court threw out some 4,000
civil suit against the judges, juvenile convictions involv-
writing the plaintiffs are “the ing more than 2,300 kids after
tragic human casualties of a the scheme was uncovered.
scandal of epic proportions.”
It’s unlikely the now-adult
In what came to be known victims will see even a frac-
as the kids-for-cash scandal, tion of the eye-popping dam-
Mark Ciavarella and another ages award, but a lawyer for
judge, Michael Conahan, the plaintiffs said it’s a recog-
shut down a county-run ju- nition of the enormity of the
venile detention center and disgraced judges’ crimes.
accepted $2.8 million in ille-
gal payments from the build- “It’s a huge victory,” Marsha
er and co-owner of two for- Levick, co-founder and chief
profit lockups. Ciavarella, counsel of the Philadelphia-
who presided over juvenile based Juvenile Law Center Ciavarella, 72, is serving a 28- rella sent them to juvenile reason. Like everybody just
court, pushed a zero-toler- and a lawyer for the plaintiffs, year prison sentence in Ken- detention — and 32 parents. stood in line to be sold.”
ance policy that guaranteed said Wednesday. “To have an tucky. His projected release
large numbers of kids would order from a federal court date is 2035. “They recounted his harsh Another victim described
be sent to PA Child Care and that recognizes the gravity of and arbitrary nature, his dis- how he shook uncontrollably
its sister facility, Western PA what the judges did to these Conahan, 70, was sentenced dain for due process, his ex- during a routine traffic stop
Child Care. children in the midst of some to more than 17 years in pris- traordinary abruptness, and — a consequence of the trau-
of the most critical years of on but was released to home his cavalier and boorish be- matizing impact of his child-
Ciavarella ordered children their childhood and devel- confinement in 2020 — with havior in the courtroom,” hood detention — and had
as young as 8 to detention, opment matters enormously, six years left on his sentence Conner wrote. to show his mental health
many of them first-time of- whether or not the money — because of the coronavirus records in court to “explain
fenders deemed delinquent gets paid.” pandemic. One unnamed child victim why my behavior was so er-
for petty theft, jaywalking, testified that Ciavarella had ratic.”
truancy, smoking on school Another plaintiffs’ attorney, Conner ruled after hearing “ruined my life” and “just
grounds and other minor Sol Weiss, said he would be- often-emotional testimony didn’t let me get to my fu- Several of the childhood vic-
infractions. The judge often gin a probe of the judges’ as- last year from 282 people who ture,” according to Conner’s tims who were part of the
ordered youths he had found sets, but did not think they appeared in Luzerne County ruling. lawsuit when it began in
delinquent to be immedi- had any money to pay a judg- juvenile court between 2003 2009 have since died from
ately shackled, handcuffed ment. and 2008 — 79 of whom Said another plaintiff: “I feel overdoses or suicide, Conner
and taken away without giv- were under 13 when Ciava- I was just sold out for no said.

Giuliani faces grand jury in Georgia 2020 election probe

(AP) — Rudy Giuliani faced hours of ques- liani, who came to court with his attorney, Robert turn Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 election win. It’s
tioning Wednesday before a special grand jury Costello. “They ask the questions and we’ll see.” one of several investigations into Trump’s actions
in Atlanta as a target of an investigation into in office as he lays the groundwork for another run
attempts by former President Donald Trump Though grand jury secrecy rules prohibit people at the White House in 2024.
and others to overturn his 2020 election de- present during grand jury testimony from discuss-
feat in Georgia. ing it, that prohibition does not apply to witnesses, Willis opened her investigation after the disclo-
including Giuliani. As a former federal prosecutor, sure of a remarkable Jan. 2, 2021, phone call be-
The former New York mayor and Trump attorney he is likely familiar with those rules. tween Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad
left the Fulton County courthouse without com- Raffensperger. On the call, Trump suggested that
menting to reporters roughly six hours after the It’s unclear how much the former New York may- Raffensperger could “find” the exact number of
special grand jury convened Wednesday as part of or and attorney for Trump was willing to say after votes that would be needed to flip the election re-
a rapidly escalating investigation that has ensnared his lawyers were informed Monday that he’s a tar- sults in Georgia.
several Trump allies. get of the investigation.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing. He has de-
Giuliani’s questioning took place behind closed Giuliani’s Atlanta-based attorney, Bill Thomas, scribed the call as “perfect.”
doors, as grand jury proceedings are secret. declined to comment after Giuliani left the court-
Swarmed by news cameras Wednesday morning as house. Costello did not immediately respond to Willis last month filed petitions to compel testimo-
he stepped out of a black SUV at the courthouse requests for comment. ny from seven Trump associates and advisers. She
steps, Giuliani said he didn’t plan to talk about his has also said she’s considering calling Trump him-
testimony. The investigation by Fulton County District Attor- self to testify, and the former president has hired
ney Fani Willis has brought heightened scrutiny to a legal team in Atlanta that includes a prominent
“Grand juries, as I recall, are secret,” said Giu- the desperate and ultimately failed efforts to over- criminal defense attorney.