Pocono News Section

State 'Overlooked' Judicial Complaint Against Conahan

State 'Overlooked' Judicial Complaint Against Conahan - Friday, November 6, 2009 at 11:54PM EST

Reported by: Joe Holden
Friday, Nov 6, 2009 @ 11:54pm EST

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- A 2006 complaint filed with the state against ex-Judge Michael Conahan was never acted on. Instead, published reports indicated the Pa. Judicial Conduct Review Board turned over the eight-page document to the FBI. At that time, the board was already busy prosecuting another Luzerne County judge on charges she was impolite and hostile in court. Judge Ann Lokuta was later removed from the bench by the Court of Judicial Discipline. Lokuta remains suspended from the court. She has a hearing on November 17.

Chief counsel for the conduct board has refused to comment on complaints filed with the agency. Calls previously made to Joseph Massa with the board have not been returned. Massa is expected to testify before the Pa. Interbranch Juvenile Justice Commission on Monday in Wilkes-Barre. The judicial conduct board is designed to investigate reports of judicial misconduct. Questions persist as to why Conahan and ex-Judge Mark Ciavarella escaped the board's attention, even though complaints had been filed against them.

In the eight-page 2006 complaint, it's alleged high profile attorneys improperly appeared before Conahan. The anonymous document described a polluted courthouse environment rife with nepotism and case fixing.

Attorneys, who we are not identifying, did not comment on the accusations made in the complaint. An attorney for Michael Conahan declined to comment.