Pocono News Section

Ciavarella and Conahan Want Guilty Pleas to Stand

Ciavarella and Conahan Want Guilty Pleas to Stand - Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 6:20PM EST

Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Thursday, Aug 20, 2009 @ 06:20pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- Two disgraced Luzerne County judges want a federal judge to reconsider their guilty pleas. Former judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan pled guilty to corruption charges in February.

A federal judge rejected those pleas several weeks ago. He says the former judges did not take responsibility for their actions.

Former judge Ciavarella insists he made statements in public to correct what he calls "inaccurate reporting" by the news media.

Ciavarella and Conahan pled guilty in federal court in a Òkids for cashÓ scheme. They admit to taking $2.6 million in kickbacks in connection with the construction and operation of a private juvenile detention center in Pittston Township. The plea agreement calls for a prison term of more than 7 years.

On July 31st Judge Edwin Kosik rejected those plea agreements. He said the actions of the two former judges shows they continue to deny what they did.

In the motion today, lawyers for the former judges say they did no such thing. Conahan insists he has remained silent. Ciavarella says he was only trying to set the record straight.

The case is now in the hands of Judge Kosik. He could deny the motion and set a trial date or go back to the original plea agreement.