Pocono News Section

Juvenile Cases Thrown Out

Juvenile Cases Thrown Out - Monday, January 25, 2010 at 9:50PM EST

Reported by: Eyewitness News
Monday, Jan 25, 2010 @ 09:50pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- Dozens of Luzerne County juvenile court cases were tossed out Monday. The cases handled by former Judge Mark Ciavarella.

Luzerne County District Attorney, Jackie Musto Carroll said they wouldn't re-try the cases and that led to all of them being thrown out. Ciavarella faces corruption charges that he took millions of dollars in kickbacks to make sure a private juvenile detention center in Luzerne County was filled.

Last October, the State Supreme Court vacated more than 6,500 cases handled by Ciavarella. The high court allowed the district attorney to review other cases in which juveniles rights may not have been violated. Prosecutors did not want to give those who committed the most serious crimes a free pass. That's why it took so long to review them.

Retrials were expected Monday, but an agreement was reached with prosecutors, defense lawyers and the Juvenile Law Center, which is a children's advocacy group. .