Friday, March 5, 2010

Robert J. Powell - a 'Double Agent'?

Robert J. Powell was working as a double agent while federal prosecutors were building their case against the two former Luzerne County judges accused in a kids-for-cash corruption scheme, their attorneys alleged.

Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. and Michael T. Conahan are seeking dismissal of the charges, claiming prosecutorial misconduct, according to pre-trial motions filed Monday.

Powell, a former attorney who co-owned the juvenile detention facilities at the center of the scheme, recorded conversations with Conahan while simultaneously working with him to coordinate their defense to corruption charges that came months later, Conahan's attorneys said.

Powell, who had also represented Conahan and Ciavarella during their time as investors in a Wright Township land development, violated attorney-client privilege and other protections, Conahan's attorneys said.

The attorneys, accusing federal prosecutors of exploiting that relationship and Powell's friendship with Conahan and Ciavarella, asked a judge to bar prosecutors from using the recordings and evidence derived from his cooperation at their trial.

Powell's attorney, Mark Sheppard, said Tuesday he did not believe Powell violated any privileges by cooperating with prosecutors.

Full Article and Source:
Former Judges Claim Attorney Was 'Double Agent.'

See Also:
Michael T. Conahan Claims Immunity

3 comments:

Tim said...

Conahan and Ciavarella will try any trick in the book.

Why not stand up as men and admit what you did and take the punishment?

Lou said...

WHY does our legal system exclude itself?? The recordings and evidence are the TRUTH... isn't the "truth" what the legal system is to be working toward???

Watching said...

Ciavarella and Conahan are trying to pull rabbits out of hats now! Ha, let them sweat it out.