"Two Pa. judges sued in kickback scheme; Victims seeking damages after guilty pleas" by Michael Rubinkam, Associated Press | February 14, 2009
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - .... The lead plaintiff is Florence Wallace, whose 14-year-old daughter, Bernadine, was charged with making terror threats after getting into an argument on MySpace. The lawsuit said the teenager was not advised of her right to an attorney and was pressured to plead guilty.
As a result of the judges' corruption, parents were forced to pay for the "wrongful incarceration" of their children, the suit said. Some parents had their wages garnisheed and benefits seized.
The plaintiffs also are suing two individuals who allegedly paid the kickbacks: attorney Robert Powell, who co-owned PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care until June; and Robert Mericle, whose construction company built the detention centers.--more--"
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Also see: The Eyes and Ears of the Web
