Wilkes-Barre Mayor

November 2

Council candidate files complaints against mayor, former administrator

WILKES-BARRE - City council candidate Linda Urban filed private criminal complaints against city Mayor Tom Leighton and his former administrator, J.J. Murphy, regarding the installation of security systems at their homes in 2004.

The complaint against Leighton alleges he committed misappropriation of public funds by an elected official and the complaint against Murphy alleges he committed "theft and possibly larceny," Urban said today.

A secretary at District Judge Andrew Barilla's office confirmed that teh complaints were filed on Oct. 14 and forwarded to the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office as part of standard procedure.

The complaints are not public record until District Attorney Jacqueline Musto Carroll returns them to the magistrate with either her approval or disapproval.

Musto Carroll today said her office did not yet receive the complaints in the mail.

The security systems cost more than $4,000 each. Leighton and Murphy have both said they were installed at the recommendation of Police Chief Gerald Dessoye because the men had received serious threats related to their public jobs.

Read the complete story in the Times Leader on Friday.

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