Mark Ciavarella "Kids for Cash" Judge a convicted Felon

A long time in coming too, alas the wheels of Justice in this corrupt latter day Roman Republic we call the Untied States Of America move slowly if at all, lumbering,squeaking and rattling like an oil deprived engine ready to seize. On Friday a small measure of Justice belched forth from the corrupt kleptocracy that is Eastern Pennsylvania.

Mark Ciavarella the former President Judge of the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania who conspired, along with fellow dishonorable judge Michael Conahan, in the infamous "Kids for Cash" scandal in 2008 was found guilty of racketeering. Ciavarella was found guilty of 11 other counts including the conviction under the RICO Act and tax evasion.

The charges stemmed from Ciavarella accepting illegal payments from Robert Mericle, the real estate developer of Pennsylvania Child Care, and attorney Robert Powell, a co-owner of the facility. Ciavarella was also on trial for 38 other counts including accepting numerous payments from Mericle and Powell as well as tax evasion.

After the guilty verdicts he walked out of the courtroom a free man under the custody of his daughter, pending sentencing to a term of as little as 13 years or 157 give or take a few!

Once outside the disgraced judge was loudly confronted by a mother Sandy Fonzo, whose son, Edward Kenzakoski, killed himself last year after this criminal judge's decision to put him away for a minor drug offense sent the boy's life spiraling out of control.

"My kid's not here anymore. He's dead! Because of him!" Fonzo shouted at the judge and his lawyer as they talked to reporters on the courthouse steps.

"He ruined my fucking life! I'd like him to go to hell and rot there forever!" she shouted.

As guards attempted to restrain her, Fonzo reached out and touched the ex-judge on the arm, shouting, "Do you remember me?"

"Do you remember my son? An all-star wrestler? He's gone, he shot himself in the heart, you scumbag!"

The disgraced judge turned and walked away with Fonzo's screams of anguish filling his ears. We can only hope this is something the Judge replays in his mind the rest of his haunted days!

Fonzo's son was 17 and expecting to receive a college wrestling scholarship when he was busted for possession of drug paraphernalia and landed in the ex-judge's court.

Ciavarella, who was known as "Mr. Zero Tolerence," sentenced him to fours months in book camp and 30 days at the youth jail for the offense, which was his first.

As a result of the bust, the boy didn't get the scholarship he expected and fell into a life of crime and depression, his mom said.

He developed anger issues and was convicted of aggravated assault as an adult, Wilkes-Barre's Times Leader reported.

He shot himself last June, at the age of 23.


Edward Kenzakoski was just one of thousands of young juveniles in Eastern Pennsylvania whose constitutional rights were trampled into the dust by the two criminal ex-judges! The worst judicial scandal since World War Two will result in millions of dollars in damages and has destroyed the faith in the rule of law and order of millions of Pennsylvanians.

Sandy Fonzo one mother, one woman whose only son was robbed from her is just one voice rising in condemnation at the personal destruction that is wrought when men of the Judiciary descend into common criminal depravity aided and abetted by a corrupt political establishment.

Another Chapter closes..

Mark Ciavarella was represented in his criminal case by long time Luzerne County Lawyer Al Flora who is most notorious for representing Gay Pornographer Bryan Kocis (Cobra Video) who was murdered on Jan 24th 2007 by two rival gay pornographers.

Bryan Kocis had been embroiled in a high profile scandal involving underage child pornography which resulted in his pleading guilty to such a charge in 2001, then in 2004 hiring another underage teenager to appear in his bareback gay videos.

The Corrigan/Kocis-Cobra public scandal played out against a backdrop of insinuations and suspicion that Mr.Kocis had bought his freedom from the corrupt Judge Michael Conahan in 2001 despite pleading guilty to sex and filming pornography with a 15 year old. A charge that should have entailed prison and registration as a life time sex offender!

Bryan Kocis readily used his 2001 exoneration of guilt and lack of legal consequences to bludgeon and terrify other young men into line, telling them he had Luzerne County's corrupt judiciary in his pocket.

I will also reiterate in February 2007 the only explicit death threat I received came from Luzerne County after I posted an early article accusing Judge Michael Conahan of official corruption and bribery in the 2001 case.

As for Mr.Flora representing Judge Conahan? Well certainly seems to validate that pompous assertion of "Judges in my pocket" by Bryan Kocis! Now that one Judge is a public Felon of record and another soon to face his day of Judgment, DeWayne can enjoy this delicious irony filled souffle!

And kudos to Mr.Flora using that law degree to make his mother proud defending the truly despicable cretins of society! Child Pornographers and Mafia Judges!

The full story of the Kids For Cash scandal and the longtime Judicial Corruption in Luzerne County one of the most crooked county's in the US is covered in detail with Links below.

'Rot in hell!' Heartbroken mom whose son committed suicide confronts crooked judge

Kids for cash scandal

"Despite Red Flags, Judges Ran Kickback Scheme for Years" (NY Times)

Cash for kids' judge took $1m kickback from private jail builder to lock children up (UK MAIL Online)

"I will never, ever forgive him, he took everything I had, he has no remorse, there is no justice!" Sandy Fonzo,

The Censored Comments Thread

UPDATED:
The Fifth day of the Harlow Cuadra trial is in full swing with Grant Roy testifying on the stand.

The San Diego Wire Intercepts, The Crab Catcher and Blacks Beach recordings featured as the main evidence on today's agenda.

Friday Sean Lockhart AKA Brent Corrigan testified and I posted Below.

This post as the title above indicates is for comments and commentary about the trial to date. I will be making this "Sticky" so this post will remain at the top of the blog.

This is the place for "Censored comments" that PC or Jim will not allow.

Identified members of the Kocis Kabal Komenters are not welcome and will not be posted.!

From the Citizens Voice Monday March 2nd 2009

Jurors hear taped conversation between Cuadra, Kocis business partners

Jurors in the Harlow Cuadra capital homicide trial began listening this morning to the first of two recorded conversations Cuadra and his business partner, Joseph Kerekes, had with two other men regarding the death of Bryan Kocis.

The recording of an April 27, 2007 meeting between Cuadra, Kerekes and Grant Roy and Sean Lockhart, takes place primarily at the Crab Catcher restaurant in San Diego, Calif. The recording lasts about three hours. Jurors listened to the first 30 minutes of the tape before breaking for lunch and are expected to listen to the remaining portion when they return.

Roy, who was business partners with Lockhart, a well-known gay pornography star, took the stand this morning in the fifth day of testimony. Lockhart and Roy were cooperating with police in the investigation of the killing of Kocis at his Dallas Township home in Jan. 24, 2007.

Cuadra, 27, could face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree homicide in Kocis’ stabbing death. Kerekes, 35, Cuadra’s former partner of gay pornography and male escort businesses in Viginia Beach, Va., pleaded guilty to second-degree homicide. He is serving a life sentence.

Roy was wearing a recording device when he and Lockhart met the two Virginia Beach men. Cuadra and Kerekes came to San Diego, Roy testified, to try to cement a deal where Cuadra and Lockhart would act in pornographic films together.

In the first 30 minutes of the tape, jurors heard Roy and police testing the recording equipment. Lockhart and Roy are also heard driving to meet Kerekes and Cuadra and some idle introductory conversations when they pick up Cuadra and Kerekes at their hotel. Jurors are wearing headphones and following a transcript of testimony.

County Judge Peter Paul Olszewksi Jr. told jurors testimony will resume at 1:15 p.m. and will likely continue past 4:30 p.m. today until Roy’s testimony is finished.

10:35 a.m.

Grant Roy testified today that he made it clear during his first meeting with Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes that he wanted no one to harm Bryan Kocis.

Roy and his partner Sean Lockhart, who were involved in a highly publicized legal dispute with Kocis, met Cuadra and Kerkes at a dinner meeting in a Las Vegas restaurant in early January 2007, Roy testified this morning during Cuadra’s capital homicide trial.

Cuadra could face the death penalty if found guilty of first-degree homicide in Kocis’ Jan. 24, 2007, stabbing death. Five witnesses, including Roy, were called today by prosecution in the fifth day of testimony.

“I told them ‘If something happened to Bryan, they’re going to show up at my door the next day. If something happened to either one of us they’re going to show up at his door the next day,’” Roy said.

Cuadra, 27, and Kerkes, 35, owned an escort and gay pornography business in Virginia Beach, Va. They were meeting with Roy and Lockhart in hopes of forming a business relationship where Cuadra and Lockhart would act in films together, Roy said.

“Harlow and both Joe seemed a little eager to get this production under way,” Roy said. “I didn’t see the need to rush. At various times, I expressed to them I didn’t think it’d be a problem if we

could get out from this mediation (with Kocis).”

Roy said a settlement between Lockhart and Kocis was nearly finished.The settlement would allow Lockhart to act again under his screen name Brent Corrigan. Because the settlement was still being negotiated, Roy said, he couldn’t reveal that information to Cuadra or Kerekes. But as

the seven-course dinner progressed, he said, both men were drinking excessively and became more insistent.

“(Kerekes) said, ‘Harlow has this guy who will do anything for him,'” Roy testified. Roy said he took this statement to mean murder.

Roy’s testimony was stopped for a brief recess. When jurors return, prosecutors are expected to play a taped conversation Roy had with Cuadra and Kerekes at a nude beach near San Diego in April 2007, when Cuadra discusses Kocis’ death.

Update March 03

Jim reveals material witness Renee Martins arrest record which may go along way towards explaining why R.Martin is the only Material Witness in this criminal case issued a Material Witness Bond of $50,000 (unsecured)

Read more Renee's Rap Sheet

Brent Corrigan Testifies

2 years, 1 month and 3 days since Cobra Video Owner/Producer Bryan Kocis was brutally murdered and his house burned down Brent Corrigan his biggest star, and former lover, all while underage, took the stand today in a packed courtroom in Luzerne County for the trial of Harlow Cuadra.

The day long awaited by Corrigan Watchers and Kocis Haters had arrived when Sean Lockhart (Brent Corrigan) would take the stand after swearing to Tell the Truth and Nothing But the Truth!

So what have we heard in today's crucial testimony?

Brent Corrigan first began to receive comments on My Space from Harlow Cuadra in the fall of 2006, they first began two way communication in December 06 (I was an observer of that)

He described Harlows desire and offers of exorbitant compensation($50,000) to star in videos together as "desperate"

He acknowledged for the first time in open court,under oath and at legal jepoardy to himself that he was indeed underage (17) when he filmed 4 DVD's for Cobra Video. That he procured a fake ID with his then boyfriend Chris Henriquez in order to film at Cobra.

He accepted on the stand FULL PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for those actions!

Which I might add Sean Lockhart has done repeatedly since August 2005!
And in four formal interviews with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Not once has Robert Wagner,Bryan Kocis or Chris Henriquez acknowledged any culpability in this crime. Indeed Robert Wagner and Bryan Kocis were guilty of Obstruction of Justice and Conspiracy for actively pleading with Sean to "keep quiet" and Mr.Kocis even threatened to kill Sean in December 2004!

The defense of course and as expected zeroed in on this and other "Kocisphere lore and facts"
asking point blank questions of Lockhart about the nature of his relationship with Kocis,Cuadra and Grant Roy.


But the main reason for Sean's testimony today was to explain and prepare for the presentation of the Blacks Beach and Crab Catcher Wire Intercepts of April 27th and 28th 2007.

Videos (filmed by Joe Kerekes, Harlows partner and Grant Roy) of that nude beach encounter between Brent and Harlow were played for the jury. Yes an Eastern Penn jury was treated to some Soft-core nudity.

A seven minute video of Harlow Cuadra and Sean Lockhart playing catch with a football and walking nude on a beach near San Diego, Calif., was played to the jury on Friday. While walking along the beach on April 27, 2007, Lockhart said Cuadra and Kerekes were "opening up" about the murder.

This made Lockhart upset, he testified, and he fell behind. "Cuadra dropped back, he touched my arm and he said, 'don't worry, it was quick, he went quick,'" Lockhart testified while nearly sobbing.

After 2 years Sean Lockhart was a much more important star witness in this case than some had led us to believe. He was on the stand most of the day,before lunch and well into the afternoon, so much for the ten minutes I was flippantly told he would be on then dismissed.

Sean's testimony today was important and crucial to make the case that Harlow Cuadra was infatuated with Brent Corrigan, that he thought Brent was the answer to his financial dreams,that Harlow "Believed" Bryan Kocis was a rival and needed to be eliminated.

And more important to establish that Harlow thought he was doing Brent a favor by eliminating Kocis. Almost the reasoning of a love sick child not a man.

Today's testimony caps the first week of the Harlow Cuadra trial and will immediately lead into the crucial bombshell Intercepts on Monday. Grant Roy is expected to testify and based on his powerful testimony in late July 2008 we can expect some fireworks!

A personal note.
I have been following Brent Corrigan for nearly 5 years, as fans we always knew he was an amazing performer, a smart and articulate person, a good writer.

As a friend I have witnessed his humor,his personal integrity and most important his loyalty to his friends and family. Despite what haters may say it is what you witness first hand that convinces you someone is a person you can trust and respect.

Confident, poised and sure of his words.

A jury in Luzerene County witnessed what I have watched for 3 years, a confident persuasive young man. A young man who risked his life cavorting and chatting up two killers on that nude beach, to extract the evidence needed to convict them for the murder of a man who had ultimately betrayed his trust and threatened his life.

Today Brent Corrigan Testified like a Rockstar!

Brent Corrigan may be a Porn Star but Sean Lockhart is ...
A man to be proud of.

DeWayne Helms



A fellow Blogger Quickysrt is in Wilkes-Barre this week for the trial and has a lot more inside observations from the courtroom below.

quickysrt said...

ok, well it was quite a moment in the week, a week which wrapped up with star witness Sean taking the stand.

He arrived wearing a cherry red sweater, dark gray dress slacks, and crisp white collared shirt, he looked stunning. The pants were perfect fitting and his posture screamed confidence.

It became apparent he was going to answer the questions his way, and even request that some questions be restated. Several times, he stopped to consider the wording of a question and asked if it could be repeated. He actually took control of the pace of his entire testimony. While he looked all of 17 years old, he showed some skill at handling this kind of stress no 17 y/o would have.

The under age videos would be delved into in detail, what time frame his summers in PA, when he met Grant, and exactly what kind of relationship they had. Everything about Bryan's ideas for Sean's future with him, and the settlement which was going to be good for him financially and well as professionally both outside of Cobra, and with his own production company.

And of course the Vegas dinner and all email, myspace, AIM, and cell phone correspondence with Harlow were gone over.

I noticed that almost every seat has been taken while Sean is on the stand. Like word got out that this is the feature attraction or something.

On cross exam. Sean's posture changed, he was just slightly more slumped in seat with arms bracing him up rather than his back being perfectly straight.

But he still refused to let defense attorney put words into his mouth without adding his own reasoning to the record. Like 'you seem to be good at pretending to be into it" (after black's beach video was played in full) Sean answered that he knows when he "has" to do something, he does it, and he had to do this.

btw, the video from the nude beach was surreal, to be seeing this full frontal nude video in court, it was 7 min. long (7 minutes and 19 seconds to be exact)but felt like 45 min. Harlow did not look at the screen at all during it, nor did his Mother. Normally you hear coughs in court, or bits of whispering now and again. During the play of this video is was deadly quiet, not one sound in the room at all.

The point early on when asked about lying about his age for porn, he was stopped by the judge who asked him to consider a lawyer, consider not answering some questions without an attorney present, and offered him an attorney to be arranged.

There was a break while jury left the room to discuss this with Sean. Sean decided that it had been five years with no criminal complaint against him, and that he should not worry now about the past, and just carry on. Jury returned and carry on he indeed did.

It was pure balls, and I felt it gave his testimony even more edge. It also kept up the impression that Sean was running the show concerning his testimony. This court was not going to keep him from telling this story his own way.

It was damaging for the defense, and on cross examination the only thing they managed to prove is that Joe made some of the myspace add friend requests to Sean's page.

There were a few gasps, and laughs, like when the video title "Young Bucks In Heat" was mentioned. A few of us laughed and looked at each other.

Unreal day, and unreal end to the week.

Quickysrt

Some links from today...

Timesleader day 4 coverage

Citizens Voice trial Update

Gay Wired.com

Jims Silence of the Chinchillas

Rants and Views

Harlow and Joe Trial Blog

WNEP TV 16 below