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January 6

Attorneys want Powell, centers liable

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker tmorgan@timesleader.com
Law & Order Reporter   |   Terrie Morgan-Besecker on Facebook   |   @TLTerrieMorgan on Twitter

SCRANTON – Attorneys representing juveniles in the “kids for cash” lawsuits have asked a federal judge to find attorney Robert Powell and the two juvenile centers he once co-owned liable for damages prior to the case going to trial.

In court papers filed Thursday, attorney Daniel Segal of Philadelphia claims that pre-trial evidence gathered shows that Powell knew or should have known that money he paid to former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella would lead Ciavarella to improperly incarcerate youths at the PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care juvenile detention centers he once co-owned.

Powell pleaded guilty in 2009 to charges related to his payment of $772,500 to Ciavarella and former Judge Michael Conahan. Prosecutors say the judges extorted the money from Powell based on threats they would stop sending juveniles to his centers if he didn’t pay.

Segal claims Powell’s payment of the money to the judges “set in motion” a series of acts by Ciavarella that Powell should have known would have led to judge to violate constitutional rights of juveniles who appeared before him.

The motion seeks judgment against Powell, PA Child Care, Western PA Child Care and Mid Atlantic Youth Services, which provided treatment services at the two juvenile detention facilities.

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