NE Pa. newspaper wins new trial after $3.5M defamation verdict issued by since-arrested judge

NE Pa. paper wins new trial in defamation case

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s high court says the role of two accused judges in a $3.5 million defamation award against The Citizens’ Voice of Wilkes-Barre warrants a new trial.

The newspaper maintains that corruption was involved in how the case was handled by two Luzerne County judges now under federal indictment.

Former judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella are awaiting trial in federal court on charges that they took kickbacks to place children in privately run juvenile facilities.

Businessman Thomas Joseph sued the paper, its parent company and a reporter over 2001 stories related to raids of Joseph’s home and direct-mail marketing business by state police and IRS agents.

Joseph wasn’t charged as a result of those searches and won the defamation case in 2006.