Plea Agreements in Pa. Judicial Corruption Scandal Rejected

The federal judge responsible for overseeing the sentencing of two former Luzerne County, Pa., judges who have pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges has rejected their plea agreements in light of their refusal to accept responsibility for their crimes. In his order, Judge Edwin M. Kosik said he will hold a hearing, during which Michael T. Conahan and Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. can withdraw their guilty pleas or accept a potentially stiffer sentence.