KIDS for CASH:It is brave to tell YOUR story! Contact Judge John Cleland

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KIDS for CASH:It is brave to tell YOUR story! Contact Judge John Cleland

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Kathy Dobash

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Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 558
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There is plenty of time to present the facts. People will listen. Perhaps you are fearful or have given up. There is a support system for you.

Please tell your story! Now is the time.
Contact the chairman Judge John Cleland through the Commission's attorney. His name is Darren Breslin. Call at 215-560-6300, or e-mail him at darren.breslin@pacourts.us.

Read full story at this link:

http://www.timesleader.com/news/juveniles_rsquo__lives_changed_after_incarceration_11-11-2009.html

Juveniles’ lives changed after incarceration
Family had hoped to testify before Interbranch Commission but were never contacted.
BILL O ’ BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com

Debbie Storm talked about her daughter, Desirae. She talked about Desirae’s days as a cheerleader, Girl Scout and aspiring photojournalist.

Then Storm talked about what happened.

In 2004, Desirae was arrested for possession of a controlled substance...........

Judge John Cleland, chairman of the Interbranch Commission, said he and the other 10 members of the panel would welcome the opportunity to hear from ............
“We sent letters to the attorneys representing all of the children involved in the class action lawsuits,” Cleland said. “We asked for victim’s testimony. I encourage anyone wanting to come forward to do so.”

Cleland said there will be two more hearings in December. He said people interested in testifying should contact Darren Breslin, legal counsel to the commission, at 215-560-6300, or e-mail him at darren.breslin@pacourts.us.

Posted 2 months ago #
Turtle

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Joined: Nov '09
Posts: 5
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Here's my story:
In spring of 2007, my 13-year-old (at the time) step-daughter got angry over being caught in a lie and deceit. She got grounded for a week. She then attacked me, punching me in the back of the head and neck over and over while screaming "You're not my mother!" I was subsequently flown to Lehigh Valley Trauma Center and underwent several months worth of physical therapy to regain the full use of my right arm. She was arrested and charged with simple assault, aggravated assault (a felony) and a few other misdemeanors.
3 days after the incident, there was a hearing for the little snot. We faced Judge Ciavarella that day. While waiting for the hearing to begin, a greasy-looking man came up to me and asked some basic questions like how long I was in the hospital, etc. I had been released the same night, albeit over 5 hours later. During the hearing, the greasy man identified himself as the brat's public defender, who then proceeded to demand the felony charge be dropped "due to her age" and the fact that I was "only in the hospital for 5 hours."
The judge then pressured me, even though I was crying hysterically and had a bad stutter due to the DAMAGE, and I said no I didn't want the felony dropped. He then pressured me even more, and I broke down, agreeing only under duress to drop the felony. The judge assured me she would get the same punishment whether the aggravated assault charge stayed or not. (And now we know why, don't we?)
The step-daughter went to Building Bridges, where she learned to be an even more conniving useless twit. She was back home a whopping 3 weeks, when she assisted her biological mother in kidnapping her little sister, who also lives with us. (The girls were with my husband and I because the mother is a druggie.)
After spending the whole day frantic over where (and how) my younger step-daughter was and getting 2 local police as well as state police involved in finding her, we got her home. The older sister had beaten her up some for telling my husband (finally) where they were.
And now, after all of this, which believe me is only the tip of the iceberg, now this little spoiled jerk will have a clean record. I still have muscle spasms in my back and neck, along with intense migraines for what she did to me. But there's no way to keep the assault charges she was guilty of from being removed from her record, and she cannot be tried again. It's disgusting and it enables the juvenile offenders to commit crime without fear.
One other thing, remember the fire on Broad Street in Hazleton on July 1? Well the girl who jumped out the window and broke her back was my older step-daughter. She had been drinking and doing cocaine with her "girlfriend" when that fire started, and she is now suing the man who owned the building.
Talk about audacity!
So, in any essence, the victims here are not always the criminal children. I feel for the real victims - the people who've suffered at the hands of the juvenile offenders, and expunging all the records is just a cop out so the county gubmint doesn't have to actually WORK at making it right for everyone.
I'd gladly go back into court and re-do the hearing or give a statement about why her record should remain with her guilty actions.

Posted 2 months ago #
Kathy Dobash

Member
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 558
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In December there will be more juvenile justice hearings. I hope it is very clear about the locations, times and dates. I hope more individuals find confidence to follow Sue Henry's suggestion.

She asked the public if they believe the District Attorney's Office testimony at the Juvenile Justice hearings held this week in Luzerne County.

This morning WILK 103.1FM commentator Sue Henry stated: People, kids,young adults, parents need to testify.

"If you told them and they did not listen, if you have that moxy call Lisa Baker's Office." , Henry added.

Here is the website http://senatorbaker.com

By the way check out this Kathy Dobash photo on her website photo gallery:

http://senatorbaker.com/photos/2009/0909/gala.htm
This photograph was taken at the Luzerne County Courthouse 100th Anniversary gala in September.

Posted 2 months ago #
Kathy Dobash

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Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 558
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Turtle:

I understand from reading your story that you feel there was no justice for you.
Sometimes there is no justice for all the things we experience or endure. I hope you can get through this difficult memory.

Some victims of crimes never see any justice or tell anyone of the horrible crimes they experienced. If you feel your case was mishandled please at least contact someone and explain.

Stay well,

Kathy

Posted 2 months ago #
Kathy Dobash

Member
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 558
offline

Nothing to do? Consider this.

http://www.timesleader.com/news/juvenile_justice_panel_back_here_next_week.html

Juvenile justice panel back here next week
By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer

The most important item related to these hearings is: families and victims must go forward to report their stories!

This Commission will not be very effective.
It might be used as a forum to protect those who still hold positions at the courthouse. Do not let that happen! It can also be a forum to protect those who only cared about power and money.
This is my opinion.

It is good we have these hearings. I fear that it will all be a waste of time to say : "We did the right thing. We formed a commission to hear what went wrong."
That is good if real changes are implemented.

The last hearings had some testimony that defended some of the actions and behaviors.

We heard a plea for the families to call in and tell their stories.

Posted 2 months ago #