EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — There is outrage and lots of questions coming from the victims of the Kids for Cash scheme in the aftermath of United States President Joe Biden's clemency action for corrupt judge Michael Conahan.
Victims say they were never notified by federal officials about the clemency and that Conahan would soon be totally free.
Conahan and fellow judge Mark Ciavarella were sent to prison for a scheme where they accepted millions of dollars in kickbacks to send kids to two detention centers, in which they had a business interest.
The victims of the Kids for Cash scheme and their families 28/22 News I-Team Reporter Andy Mehalshick spoke with say they are being victimized a second time, this time by the justice system.
"How did you find out?" Mehalshick asked.
"You called me and notified me and Amanda. We weren't notified anytime before that. It was shocking and you're the one who told us," aunt of a Kids for Cash victim Judy Lorah replied.
Her niece, Amanda, was a victim in the Kids for Cash scheme, sent away when she was 13 for five years for a minor fight at a high school volleyball game.
Amanda and thousands of other juveniles were wrongly imprisoned or sent away for very minor crimes, if any at all, as part of a scheme hatched by former Luzerne County Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciaveralla.
Both disgraced judges were sent to prison, Conahan for 17 and a half years and Ciavarella for 28 years.
In 2020, Conahan was released after serving about nine years to home confinement because of COVID-19 health concerns.
President Biden's clemency action clears out the remaining two years of Conahan's sentence.
State Senator Lisa Baker says, unlike Pennsylvania, the federal system does not require by law that victims be notified if the perpetrator is released from custody.
"Surprise that you're seeing something on Twitter, or the news, that someone's being released, and you had no knowledge or ability to weigh in and give your impact statement. Pennsylvania is very clear that victims have specific rights and it's a positive," Baker explained.
State Senator weighs in on Kids for Cash judge’s release
Baker is working with Congressman Dan Meuser to create a mandatory victim notification law at the federal level.
"I hope I can work with Congressman Dan Meuser and our Federal colleagues to address this and ensure moving forward that victims at the Federal level have the same rights as people do in Pennsylvania," Baker continued.
Congressman Meuser issued the following statement on the matter to the I-Team:
President Biden’s decision to commute the sentence of Michael Conahan, a central figure in the “Kids for Cash” scandal, is an injustice to the families and communities whose lives were forever changed by his actions. This scandal marked a profound betrayal of public trust, exploiting children and causing lasting harm to northeastern Pennsylvania. Commuting Conahan’s sentence, and the lack of victim notification, undermines the accountability that victims and their families rightfully deserve.
Congressman Dan Meuser
It's welcome news to Kids for Cash victims and their families.
"I think it's wrong. I think that the victims should be notified all the time in federal court in any court. Anytime a person is left out from prison or getting a pardon or anything like that should notify the victim," Lorah said.
28/22 News will be tracking this effort and keep you posted.
