Pocono News Section

Controversy back in Luzerne County Juvenile Court

Controversy back in Luzerne County Juvenile Court - Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at 5:10PM EST

Tuesday, Jun 10, 2008 @ 05:10pm EST

A Hanover Township teenager's freedom is in the hands of a judge who's accused of giving him an unfair sentence.

Former Luzerne County juvenile court judge Mark Ciaverala sentenced 17-year old Kevin Williamson for punching another teen.

But since then, the judge has stopped hearing juvenile cases.

Controversy has swirled around this case and others.

Seeing her son go back to a juvenile treatment camp wasn't easy for Susan Mishanski.

Mishanski says "It was a little heartbreaking. but I think it's going forward. Kevin of course is upset because he's the one that's tied up in all this."

Mishanski's son is Hanover Township teenager Kevin Williamson.

Tuesday morning, his lawyer asked for his release until a superior court can hear his appeal.

But judge Mark Ciavarella says another judge will hear the case, and ordered Williamson back to Camp Adams in Jim Thorpe.

Mishanski says, "All we could do is tell him to hang in there, think positive. You know, one more week, one day at a time"

The juvenile law center picked up this case.

It says judge Ciaverella skipped necessary steps in Williamson's hearing, and many more juvenile cases in Luzerne County .

Williamson didn't have a lawyer, and was appointed a public defender.

The law center says Ciaverella didn't tell Williamson the importance of not having his own attorney.

Juvenile Law Center attorney Laval Miller-Wilson says, "Sometimes they may think they might get off lightly, but unfortunately for those young people, that doesn't happen and in this situation the absence of counsel has led to kids not being aware of their rights."

The next court date hasn't been set, but Williamson's family and their lawyer are hoping for sometime next week.

The juvenile law center is asking the superior court to free all juvenile's currently incarcerated under judge Ciaverella.

That appeal is pending