Prosecutors in Allegheny County say state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin will be charged in a campaign corruption case tied to the alleged misuse of her taxpayer-funded staff for campaigning.
The Allegheny County district attorney's office says Melvin will surrender later today to face charges including three counts of theft of services, two counts of criminal conspiracy to commit tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, two counts of official oppression and one count each of criminal conspiracy to commit theft of services and misapplication of entrusted property of government.
In a written statement the District Attorney's office said Justice Melvin is expected to surrender herself later today.
Her attorney, William I. Arbuckle, sent a letter to Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille Friday morning stating that Melvin "In order to avoid the appearance of impropriety and in accordance with precedent Justice Orie Melvin is voluntarily recusing herself from all judicial duties pending resolution of the criminal charges. She is not resigning from the Court."
The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts countered with its own order that states in part, "In view of the compelling andimmediate need to protect and preserve the integrity of the Unified Judicial System and the administration of justice for the citizens of this Commonwealth, Madame Justice Orie Melvin is hereby relieved of any and all judicial and administrative responsibilities as a Justice and is not to take any further administrative or judicialaction whatsoever in any case or proceeding noworhere in after pending in this Court until further Order of this Court.
"This Order is without prejudice to the rights of Madame Justice Orie Melvin to seek such relief in this Court for the purpose of vacating or modifying this Order."
The letter goes on to say Melvin is not admitting any wrongdoing and will defend herself from "these politically motivated" charges.
Melvin started her judicial career as a municipal judge in 1985, four years after getting her law degree. She was elected to a 10-year term on the high court that runs through 2019.
Melvin's sister, state Sen. Jane Orie, was convicted in March of illegally using her Senate office staff to campaign. A third sister, Janine Orie, worked as an aide to Melvin and is awaiting trial on charges that she directed both the senator's staff and the justice's staff to perform campaign work.
Sen. Orie is scheduled to be sentenced next month. Her attorney said in court filings she would resign before that.
A spokesman for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts didn't immediately comment on the charges, but the office said it would be only the second time a sitting justice has faced criminal charges. On April 9, 1994, a jury found Justice Rolf Larsen guilty of two counts of criminal conspiracy. Larsen was then impeached by the state House and convicted and removed from the bench by the state Senate.
The investigation into the sisters began in 2009 when an intern in Sen. Orie's office complained to the district attorney's office that she'd seen the lawmaker's staff doing campaign work for Melvin just days before she was elected to the high court.
