Pocono News Section

Attorney: Judge's Witnesses Get Death Threats

Attorney: Judge's Witnesses Get Death Threats - Friday, August 21, 2009 at 10:52PM EST

Reported by: Joe Holden
Friday, Aug 21, 2009 @ 10:52pm EST

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- A suspended judge contends some of the witnesses who it's claimed will paint a picture of a corrupt courthouse kingdom headed by Ex-Judge Michael Conahan have received death threats.

Attorney Ron Santora on Friday afternoon confirmed the information during a meeting with WBRE Eyewitness News Reporter Joe Holden.

Santora said Patti Benzi and Joe Novak, two witnesses who have signed on to help bolster Lokuta's case, received threats hours after it was learned they had joined the case.

Benzi, a Luzerne County security officer, did not respond to a message for comment.

Novak declined to speak on camera with WBRE Eyewitness News, but confirmed that "strange people started showing up around his home" a day after his participation in the case was publicized.

Lokuta's attorneys said the FBI had been contacted.

Benzi appeared in news reports last month after she testified that she delivered envelopes on behalf of a reputed mob boss to Ex-Judge Conahan. Benzi will apparently testify she approached Lokuta years ago after William "Big Billy" D'Elia asked her to deliver an envelope to Lokuta.

Novak's testimony will reflect conversations between Ciavarella and Conahan he says he overheard. He claims the ex-judges talked about having to "get rid" of Lokuta. Both men testified against Lokuta in her judicial discipline case.

On Friday, it was learned Lokuta's legal team filed a petition with the Pa. Supreme Court asking for extraordinary relief. Lokuta claims business and client relationships between the central judge of the Court of Judicial Discipline were improper and that Judge Richard Sprague should have recused himself. As a result, Lokuta wants the Supreme Court to step in and decide the fate of her judicial career.

There's no word on when the Supreme Court will consider Lokuta's petition.