Right-to-Sue Case May Vanish (PA judges that sentenced kids to prison for cash)

[LeighAnn]

Source: New York Times

In a bizarre twist to a closely watched case that rocked the Pennsylvania legal system this year, thousands of youths who had to appear before a corrupt county judge are in danger of losing the ability to sue for damages and court fees.

The potential loss stems from a decision by the State Supreme Court in May that it would help the youths move on with their lives by destroying all documents related to their convictions that it deemed faulty. But doing so would hamper the public’s ability to investigate the corruption of the judge, Mark A. Ciavarella Jr., and limit the youths’ ability to sue him.

<snip>

The records deal with the convictions of more than 6,500 youths who appeared from 2003 to 2008 before Mr. Ciavarella, who ran the juvenile court of Luzerne County for 12 years.

<snip>Zygmont A. Pines, the Pennsylvania court administrator, wrote in a June 25 letter to Judge Caputo that the main concern of the Supreme Court was “to ensure that tainted convictions of affected juveniles in Luzerne County be undone as expeditiously as possible.” Mr. Pines also wrote that youths who had not joined any of the lawsuits might not want to have their records preserved.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/us/28juvenile.html

[Hydra]

1. Look, let's destroy the evidence!

"Do it for the kids..." :sarcasm:

[strategery blunder]

2. And how much were the State Supreme Court justices paid?

This case makes me sick. :puke:

Preserve the records, in sealed form if necessary, at least until the kids are of age to make the decision whether or not to sue.

There's nothing like justices covering for corrupt judges to ensure that falsely imprisoned victims cannot hold corrupt judges liable for such false imprisonment. :grr:

[The Doctor.]

3. This can't be stated any less severely;

When you remove all legal recourse on the path to justice, the ONLY recourse left will be ILLEGAL FUCKING RECOURSE!!!

When people want justice, they will get it. Make sure they can get it through the system in some way, or they'll go around it.

This asshole fucked up the lives of many people.

He'd be very lucky to be subjected to legal justice.

In fact... he should pray for it.

[wroberts189]

4. They act like they care so much for the lives they ruined.

Except when it comes to the money.

[Downwinder]

5. Who handles their liability insurance?

[Javaman]

6. And you don't think this was planned in advance?

think of how much this would cost that county if everyone of those kids sued.

They knew full well they were fucked so they came up with some creative way to basically destroy evidence.

Like they say, "no body, no case".

flushing away the rights of the poor.