Two former state judges who were bribed to send hundreds of children to prison were ordered to pay more than $200 million for the scheme.
In a so-called children's cash scandal, Pennsylvania judges Mark Sheavarrera, 72, and Michael Conahan, 70, paid $2.8 million in illegal payments from the state government to pay the county closed a juvenile detention center run by Co-owner and builder of two for-profit prisons.
Judge Christopher Connor of the U.S. District Court ordered nearly 300 plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the judge to award him $106 million in compensatory damages and his $100 million punitive damages. ordered damages.
The victims were "tragic human victims of a grand scandal," Conner wrote in Tuesday's verdict briefing.
Her Ciaverella, who presides over the juvenile court, maintains zero her tolerance policy and as a result many children up to the age of 8 are sent to for-profit institutions (PA Childcare or Western PA Childcare). ) was sent to Many of the children were sent for minor offenses, such as smoking, truancy, walking jays, and petty theft, and had never done it before.
Shea Verella is in Kentucky where he is serving a 28-year sentence and is set to be released in 2035.
Meanwhile, Konohan has been released to his home, although he is serving over his 17-year sentence. Six years left in 2020 due to the pandemic of the new coronavirus.
The state Supreme Court overturned nearly 4,000 minor convictions and more than 2,300 children have served time after the plans were dropped. Conahan has renounced his vows and betrayed the public trust," Connor wrote.
"Their cruel and despicable behavior preyed on vulnerable young people, many of whom suffered from emotional and mental health problems.
Plaintiffs' attorney Marcia Levik, co-founder and lead attorney at the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia, called the ruling "a big win" on Wednesday.
" "It is very important that there is an order from a federal court acknowledging the gravity of what judges did to these children during their most critical years of childhood and development," Levik said. Will the money be paid?'
This scandal was one of the worst scandals to come to light within the US justice system.
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