Pocono News Section

I-Team Update: Contractor Defends Himself

I-Team Update: Contractor Defends Himself - Thursday, January 31, 2008 at 6:26PM EST

Reported by: Jeff Chirico
Thursday, Jan 31, 2008 @06:26pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY --An update on an I-Team story we've been following for more than a year. Numerous customers in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties complain one contractor has taken their money and not done the work he promised. The attorney general now trying to put Joseph Burns out of business. Consumer reporter Jeff Chirico in the court room today as Burns put up his defense.

Burns represented himself today and called no one to the stand on his behalf. This is video of Burns last month as he left court. He was back today claiming he and his subcontractors did exemplary work. He blamed other customers for not letting him finish the jobs.

One of those customers showed us pictures of the mess that they say burns left behind when the borough forced him to stop working because he hadn't applied for a permit. Burns testified he picked up the application but blamed the customer for not filling it out. Christine Malo says her elderly mother paid nearly $39,000. Malo says "it’s a leaking swamp. Her house is damaged, sun roof is leaking and he emptied her bank account. We're just devastated."

Deputy Attorney General Brian Nixon says "the big thing we're trying to do with this injunction is get him shut down so he cannot do this to anymore people." Burns also argued in court that the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection has no jurisdiction over these cases. Burns refused to speak with us on camera.

In the 90’s, a judge issued an injunction against Burns because of customer complaints. That injunction was modified over the years. Now it's up to the judge to decide if he'll reinstate that injunction and ban Burns from doing business in Pennsylvania. That decision should come within 60 days.