Luzerne County Judges

EMBATTLED JURIST

January 21, 2010

PFA issued for wife vs. Rehkamp

Judge faces harassment and assault charges in alleged incident with wife.

By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – Senior Judge C. Joseph Rehkamp was celebrating his first wedding anniversary with his wife, Valerie, when he became “quite intoxicated” and acted “badly” in two restaurants on Saturday, according to a protection from abuse application.

Valerie Rehkamp, 50, obtained a PFA on Wednesday, four days after she accused her 61-year-old husband of assaulting her inside their Plymouth Township home after a night of celebration. Senior Judge Carson Brown granted the PFA prohibiting Rehkamp from having any contact with his wife until a hearing scheduled on Jan. 28 in Luzerne County Court.

Rehkamp was charged by state police at Wyoming after his wife claimed he shoved her against a chair and choked her during an argument. She had asked him to stay elsewhere for the night because of his behavior in the restaurants, according to the criminal complaint that charged Rehkamp with simple assault and harassment.

Rehkamp has been temporarily barred from presiding over court proceedings until the outcome of the charges, said Art Heinz, spokesperson for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.

“The Chief Justice (Ronald D. Castille) of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has directed that all current judicial assignments to Judge Rehkamp be rescinded,” Heinz said.

Luzerne County President Judge Thomas Burke said he learned of Rehkamp’s temporary suspension late Wednesday afternoon.

“Our court has been involved in contingency planning with regards to the reassignment of Judge Rehkamp’s cases,” Burke said.

The PFA application, which was handwritten by Valerie Rehkamp, adds new information to what allegedly took place Saturday night.

Valerie Rehkamp said she was out with her husband at a restaurant celebrating their first wedding anniversary when “Joe became quite intoxicated when we were out,” the PFA application says.

Several sources identified the restaurants as Patte’s Sports Bar on West Hollenback Avenue, Wilkes-Barre, and the second restaurant as Dominick’s Caf� on School Street, Hudson, Plains Township.

They left Patte’s Sports Bar and arrived at Dominick’s, where Valerie Rehkamp alleged the senior judge “started acting badly at the second restaurant we attended by shouting the f-word and being obnoxious with the bartender and waitress. I decided to leave; I was the designated driver. On the way home, I had said something to him about his behavior and told him he could not stay at the house because of his behavior.”

Valerie Rehkamp stated on the PFA application that Rehkamp followed her into the home and the bedroom where they argued. She claimed he called her an “ass----,” and charged after her, shoving her into a chair in the living room.

“He ran after me, pushed me down into the living room chair and proceeded to choke me in front of my son,” Valerie Rehkamp stated.

Valerie’s son, Lee Elliot Egenlauf, 18, was watching television and stepped in between his mother and Rehkamp. Rehkamp left the house in his vehicle and surrendered on the charges on Sunday.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled on Tuesday before District Judge Donald Whittaker in Nanticoke.

Rehkamp, a former president judge in Perry and Juniata counties in South Central Pennsylvania, began presiding over Luzerne County court cases in November. He became a senior judge in August 2008, when he retired.

Rehkamp was not scheduled to preside over cases this week, Burke said.

Rehkamp has scheduled several pre-trial hearings for four criminal homicide cases in the coming weeks. He is also scheduled to begin the theft trial of Peter Moses on Feb. 1.

Moses, 58, former associate dean of administration and auxiliary services at Luzerne County Community College, is charged with stealing more than $17,000 and two laptop computers from the school.

“We will be exploring all available options to obtain further assistance from senior judges that might be available,” Burke said.

Burke said former president Judge Chester Muroski, who became a senior judge on Jan. 1 at the mandatory age of 70, will be an asset to handle the heightened caseload.

“Judge Muroski is scheduled for a busy docket on Monday,” Burke said.

Edward Lewis, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7196.

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