Larry
Hohol is the author of the new book, "The Luzerne County Railroad". A
story about corruption in the American judicial system, the book will
shake you to your core. Each chapter will leave you amazed by the new
depth of brazen greed and corruption. If you think it couldn't get any
worse, the next chapter will prove you wrong.
If you care about freedom and equality in America, you must read this book!
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Larry Hohol - Judicial Corruption Blog
From the November 11, 2011 The Legal Intelligencer, written by Hank Grezlak. My comment follows the article.
It's Open Season on Children in Pennsylvania
In light of the Penn State sex abuse scandal, Pennsylvania really needs to change its nickname from the Keystone State to the Child Abuser State.
The shameful moniker fits. After a decade that has already included the Archdiocese of Philadelphia priest sex abuse scandal and the Luzerne County judicial scandal featuring "kids-for-cash," how c... Continue reading ...
Please read this article first. Here is the link:
The Legal Intelligencer - Legal Observers Say Conahan's Sentence Fair, Starting Point for Healing
I couldn’t disagree more with all that were interviewed for this article. I am a Luzerne County Native and a former Law Enforcement Officer from this County. I am here to tell you that Ex-Judge/Convicted Felon Conahan told the biggest lie of his life while he addressed his victims and the Sentencing Judge. He stated the system was not corrup... Continue reading ...
Ex-Judge Conahan told the biggest lie of his entire life when he stated that the system was not corrupt. The system all the way through failed to stop both of these judges. The Judicial Conduct Board knew the bulk of the issues that these two corrupt judges were eventually charged with. Instead of investigating as the board is "REQUIRED" to do, the board tabled a detailed anonymous complaint against these very judges and instead went after the Judge suspected of being the author. This same... Continue reading ...
I want everyone to understand that this is what Former Judge Conahan voluntarily pled guilty to and voluntarily accepted as his punishment. He was indicted on 47 other counts, most of which were more serious than this single charge. The only one who made out here today was Conahan and he is going to jail for a long time. When he addressed Federal Judge Kosik he made it very clear he was not going to “Rat” on anyone. He stated, “The system is not corrupt, I am corrupt”. Of all the... Continue reading ...
Please go to the following link and read this article about a Ciavarella trial (kids for cash) juror's comments before you read my Blog.
The Times Leader - Juror: Sentence 'excessive'
Excellent, informative, well written article! This article clearly outlines the major flaws with both the prosecution and handling of this case. No one should believe that any of these problems were created by accident or mistake. The US Attorney in charge and the Judge in this case are two of the most experie... Continue reading ...
I am convinced that there is a cover up of the entire "Kids for Cash" scandal taking place before our very eyes. Think about it. The US Attorney's Office “shocked the world” when they rested their case against Ciavarella without presenting a single exhibit or witness to support the "kids for cash" charges in the indictment. NOTHING on the record, NOTHING! US Attorney Peter Smith then stated after the trial that 12 guilty verdicts out of 39 charges was a great victory and that Federal C... Continue reading ...
Smoke and mirrors. Don’t look at what Judge Kosik says, look at what he does. The end result is the real, name of the game. Here is my prediction. Judge Kosik will sentence Ciavarella to a moderate to heavy jail sentence. That will make the general public, who doesn’t know how the game is played, very happy. Here is where it gets interesting. I predict that Judge Kosik will then assign the heaviest jail time to the charges that Ciavarella has on appeal and very little time to the c... Continue reading ...
The proper thing would have been to offer new trials to all juveniles who requested one and let stand the convictions and guilty pleas of all who did not request a new trial. By doing so taxpayer money would NOT have been required for restitution. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court was in such a hurry to cover up the inexcusable activity of the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board that justice or fairness never entered into the equation. It was all about making this nightmare (exposure) go away ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Larry Hohol on Friday, June 17, 2011,
In :
Larry's News
I am delighted that WBRE TV channel 28 (CBS affiliate) will be broadcasting an interview of me talking about my book, The Luzerne County Railroad, judicial corruption and kids for cash tonight, Friday June 17. The interview will be carried during three time slots - 5:00 PM, 5:30 PM and 6:00 PM Eastern Time.
Don't forget that I will be appearing on The David Madeira Show on 94.3 FM on Saturday morning, June 18. Further information can be found here and the webcast can be found here.
These appe... Continue reading ...
I honestly believe that if Ciavarella doesn't have certain demands met, he has threatened to spill the beans on the whole corrupt system all the way to Harrisburg. The damage control started when the US Attorney's Office didn't present ANY evidence to support the actual "Kids for Cash" charges that were included in Ciavarella's Indictment. "Not guilty" on 27 of the 39 charges is not a victory for the prosecution by anyone’s standards. Before Ciavarella’s trial began I publicly predicte... Continue reading ...
Just remember that Ciavarella has stated all along that the "Kids for Cash" scandal is a myth. The way this case was prosecuted offers him "Proof" he may be right. Not a single sentence, exhibit, or witness was presented during his trial to support any of the "Kids for Cash" charges thus he was found not guilty on 27 of 39 charges. Something just doesn't add up. Speaking of not adding up, when is Conahan going to be sentenced? His whole plea deal was predicated on him testifying against ... Continue reading ...
If the Pennsylvania Bar Association is truly concerned about Judicial Corruption why don't they insist on a complete investigation of the Judicial Conduct Board and its DIRECT involvement in the Kids for Cash Scandal? I will tell you why. The Bar Association is as much a part of the problem as any other aspect of this corruption. I personally called the State Bar Association about 6 weeks ago as I wanted to testify at their Dog and Pony Show when it came to Wilkes-Barre. The very polite wom... Continue reading ...
I don’t want to live in a country that cuts off both arms of convicted pickpockets. There is NO DOUBT that Judge Lokuta deserves some sort of discipline for her Judge Judy style of justice in her courtroom. That being said, I am extremely uncomfortable with the highest profile witnesses against her being Felon Ex-Judges Conahan and Ciavarella. Combine this with the Chairman of the Judicial Conduct Board being business partners with Conahan and the Chief Prosecutor against Judge Lokuta be... Continue reading ...
I am here to tell you that if the FBI hadn't come to town and arrested Ex-Judge Toole he would still be looking down his drunken nose from his lofty perch and corruptly judging us common folk. There needs to be a full blown Grand Jury Investigation of the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board as far back as the law permits. I would also venture to say if not for the FBI, both Ex-Judges Conahan and Ciavarella would still be stuffing the kiddy prison full while they themselves living the lifesty... Continue reading ...
I have a great idea. How about an in-depth investigation into the entire Judicial Conduct Board? The JCB gave no less than 5 reasons as to why they did not act on the Conahan Complaint as they are “REQUIRED” to do by their own rules. All 5 explanations turned out to be misstatements of facts. There was a time when we called misstatements of facts “lies”.
The fact of the matter was during the timeframe in question, the JCB was very, very busy removing a Judge from office that was be... Continue reading ...
US Attorney Peter Smith knew exactly what he was doing when he did not put a single piece of evidence into the trial of Ciavarella that created any official record of "Kids for Cash". Tax Evasion, Racketeering, and Conspiracy YES. Kids for Cash"......NO! I for one don't buy Smith’s explanation as to why he did what he did or in this case, what he didn’t do.
The Citizen's Voice - County: Scope of kids-for-cash kickback scheme is exaggerated Continue reading ...
I want to hear US Attorney Peter Smith tell us what a great victory it is after Ciavarella reverses 8 of his 12 guilty charges on appeal. His own office will be the direct reason for the reversal. The US Attorney who handled Mericle’s case stated in open court during Mericle’s plea that Mericle paid Ciavarella a finder’s fee and not a bribe. He further went on to say that a finder’s fee is totally legal. The very same US Attorney’s Office went on to convict Ciavarella of taking ... Continue reading ...
There isn’t much that shocks me when it comes to case fixing in Luzerne County or anywhere else in Pennsylvania for that matter but what has happened in the Mark Ciavarella trial defies any “legitimate” explanation. Here is what I said in my Judicial Corruption Blog before this trial began:
"It appears that even the FBI and US Attorney’s Office did not want to open this can of worms."
A public trial of this magnitude has huge ramifications. It has the potential to not only expose massiv... Continue reading ...
Ever wonder how and why corruption in Luzerne County could possibly have gotten as bad as it is? All you have to do is look at how corruption is dealt with once it has been exposed. The best and brightest U.S. Attorneys that the United States Government has to offer are botching the "kids for cash" Ciavarella case right before our very eyes. Seasoned, highly paid prosecutors have sat on their hands to the point that the Judge has objected to statements made instead of them. Now they have ... Continue reading ...
A FedEx box stuffed full of cash destined for Luzerne County Judges as bribes. It use to be plain white envelopes but since we stopped printing one thousand dollar bills it has now become necessary to use boxes for such transactions. When I think back at all of the far out and bizarre rulings that have come out of the Luzerne County Courthouse absolutely NOTHING surprises me. More money has been stolen in Luzerne County with a briefcase and a gavel than ever with a gun. It is not only the ar... Continue reading ...
It appears that even the FBI and US Attorney’s Office did not want to open this can of worms. Understaffing of both organizations is probably the reason. Both organizations appeared content with carving a few more notches in their proverbial briefcases and moving on. A public trial of this magnitude has huge ramifications. It has the potential to not only expose massive corruption that extends far beyond Luzerne County but more troubling massive cover up by sitting, “high profile” polit... Continue reading ...
A Citizen's Voice article entitled Mundy reintroduces juvenile court legislation opens with:
"State Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Kingston, has reintroduced legislation to allow the Juvenile Court Judges Commission to analyze court cases and trends in the system in response to the Luzerne County kids-for-cash scandal."
I believe this is not a Juvenile Justice problem at all. This problem existed and flourished in full view of the checks and balances that are in place to insure such things don't occur... Continue reading ...
Posted by Larry Hohol on Monday, January 31, 2011,
In :
Current News
Upwards of 40 Complaints filed against Conahan and Ciavarella and all were dismissed by the Judicial Conduct Board when in fact C&C admitted they were committing unspeakable felonies while on the bench. Most of the witnesses who testified against Judge Lokuta have been arrested, removed from office, or worked directly for those who have. The Chairman of the Judicial Conduct Board was business partners with Conahan. Attorney Dick Sprague who spearheaded the removal of Judge Lokuta while sittin... Continue reading ...
I just read a new blog about the "Kids for Cash" scandal on the website "Judicial Council Watcher". The link to the website is at the end of this blog.
As an author, I want to start off by telling you that your article was extremely well written, informative, and thought provoking. Good job!
I am a Luzerne County native and am in the process of writing a book about the, “Kids for Cash” scandal. In part, my Preface reads as follows:
"The nagging question is why would an entire “Judicial ... Continue reading ...
Everyone PLEASE Google the phrase “Kids for Cash”. It is a huge ongoing
scandal involving a privatized prison in Pennsylvania in which thousands
of children were illegally incarcerated over a period of about the last
5 years. Two State Judges have been arrested by the FBI for taking
bribes amounting to over 2.8 million dollars from the prison developers
and the prison operators. The entire safety net system up to and
including the Supreme Court of PA failed to halt these incarcerati... Continue reading ...
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