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Pocono News Section
Major Developments in Defamation Case
Major Developments in Defamation Case - Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 11:59PM EST
Reported by: Joe Holden
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2009 @ 11:59pm EST
LEHIGH COUNTY- A defamation hearing continues in Lehigh County involving corruption in Luzerne County. Former judge Mark Ciavarella is expected to take the stand Thursday.
It comes on the heels of some of the inner workings of the corruption scandal which were revealed in testimony Wednesday. Among the revelations, an apparent connection between the mafia and the court system.
Robert Kulick claims he can't remember how many cases he asked ex-Luzerne County Judge Michael Conahan to fix, but he says a 3.5-million dollar verdict against the parent company of the Citizens Voice in 2006 is one of them.
Kulick claimed on the stand that friend and reputed Pittston mob boss William Billy D'Elia said the case would get a favorable outcome.
It's alleged D'Elia, a reported under boss of the Buffalino crime family, met regularly with Conahan and Kulick over breakfast at which time they reportedly discussed how cases would play out.
Both Conahan and ex-judge Mark Ciavarella along with D'Elia were regulars guests at Kulick's Christmas parties. It was at these Christmas parties where the judges were allegedly asked to intervene at cases at the courthouse.
Thomas Joseph sued the Citizen Voice Newspaper after a series of articles alleged he was tied to the mafia. The case ended in front of Ciavarella in 2006. Kulick testified Billy D'Elia would get a piece of the action if Tommy Joseph won the case.
Patty Benzi, a security guard at the court house, testified she delivered envelopes on behalf of D'Elia and Kulick to judge Conahan 10 or 20 times. Benzi said she never knew what was in the envelopes.
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