PCN to air state panel’s juvie hearing

The Pennsylvania Cable Network is scheduled to air coverage today of the juvenile justice hearings held in Plains Township earlier this week.

PCN, which is available on Channel 16 on the Service Electric Cable network in Wilkes-Barre, Channel 20 in Hazleton and Channel 60 on Comcast in the Back Mountain area, will air Monday’s hearing of the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice at 10 a.m. today. Testimony from Tuesday’s hearing will be aired at 7 p.m. today. The air dates and times are tentative and could change.

PCN is not available to subscribers of satellite providers DirecTV or the Dish Network. Those wishing to see the broadcasts also can do so by visiting PCN’s Web site at www.pcntv.com.

The 11-member Interbranch Commission was formed in August to investigate failings within the Luzerne County juvenile justice system.

Monday’s hearing featured the testimony of Berks County Judge Arthur Grim, the special master who issued the report recommending that all juvenile convictions under former judge Mark Ciavarella from 2003 to 2008 be vacated. The state Supreme Court recently adopted that report.

Tuesday’s hearing featured testimony from Luzerne County Judge David Lupas, who is a former district attorney; District Attorney Jacqueline Musto Carroll, and Chief Public Defender Basil Russin.

PCN is a television network similar to C-Span that provides coverage of public affairs events throughout the state.