In December, 2005, he obtained a jury
conviction against six-term incumbent State Representative Habay for violating
the State Ethics Act.

minors washingtonpost

HARRISBURG, Pa.
Below is a list of the prosecutors assigned to the Public Corruption Unit
and a brief biography on each of them:

Chief Deputy Attorney Frank Fina, Harrisburg Office
Fina , who will be the chief of the Public Corruption Section, has been an
attorney since 1992.
Fina joined the Attorney General's Office in 2003 and worked in the
Appeals and Legal Services Section prior to being named chief of the Criminal
Prosecution Section by Corbett in 2005.

murders differently

Glover said that one way to get tough with criminals is for the Department
of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute inmates who attack correctional staff.
Costanzo joined the Attorney General's Office in 1993 and has prosecuted a
wide variety of cases, such as homicides, economic crimes and public
corruption , including the Second State Senatorial Election in Philadelphia.

minors sentencing

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest
federal employee union, representing 600,000 workers in the federal government
and the government of the District of Columbia.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Corbett Announces Formation of Public Corruption Unit

Corbett also urged the General Assembly to pass pending legislation which
would give the Attorney General's Office concurrent jurisdiction on gaming. While in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office he tried more than
90 jury and 1 ,000 bench trials.

differently outcome

He noted that the office recently won a
conviction of State Representative Jeff Habay and that the trial for the
former Mayor of Erie is scheduled to begin on March 13.
In 1997, Blessington joined the Attorney General's Office and has been
involved in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving murder,
economic crimes, political corruption, and various other offenses.

undertaking injustice

By creating a whole new class of federal crimes
without providing the staff to control the new prisoners, prisons will
continue to become more dangerous, said Glover.
Corbett said in 1978, the General Assembly's Joint State Government
Commission on the Office of the elected Attorney General said that it was
giving specific authority to the office to implement the intentions of the
electorate that the Attorney General function as a "watchdog" of State
Government to prevent official corruption. Krastek, Pittsburgh Office
Krastek has been an attorney since 1979 and was a Deputy District Attorney
in Allegheny County, where he supervised the Crimes Against Persons Unit and
specialized in the prosecution of homicide, sex offenses and child abuse
cases.

minors undertaking

According to Bureau of Prisons data, the number of
assaults is now 34 percent higher than during the early part of the decade.S .
"Enough already. The Council of Prison Locals
represents 28,000 employees of the Bureau of Prisons, including 15,000
correctional officers. Blessington, Norristown Office
Blessington has been a lawyer since 1983 and joined the Philadelphia
District Attorney's Office in 1986, where he investigated and prosecuted cases
in Municipal Court, Juvenile, Juvenile Habitual Offender, Major Trial, Career
Criminal, Narcotics, and Homicide Units.

prosecutors sentencing

On May 5, Glover testified before Congress about the increase in assaults
within federal prisons. Glover
noted that DOJ seems slow to prosecute inmates for such offenses and does not
seem to pursue cases with vigor.
Referrals from the State Ethics Commission that involve allegations of
public corruption will be assigned to the unit .

Senior Deputy Attorney General Patrick J.

outcome cya

However, by creating a special unit, with seasoned prosecutors assigned
specifically to public corruption cases, he believes that the efficiency and
effectiveness in which these cases are prosecuted will be improved. During her
nearly 12 years in the York District Attorney's Office, from 1988 to 2000, she
handled criminal trials and appeals and prosecuted many murder cases,
including such capital murders as the Route 30 double homicide of two Harley-
Davidson employees.gov

juvenile aren

Penitentiary at Lompoc, Calif. What else can the defense say when the murder was caught
on video tape besides argue that their client is crazy? The defense won't
admit guilt and accept punishment.
Corbett said that when a public corruption case is opened, it will be
assigned to one of the seven prosecutors in the unit.
Among the public corruption cases he prosecuted are Lebanon County
District Justices Betty Ann Smith and Michael Smith; Craig Cummons;
Philadelphia Election of Judges; 7th Ward; Francis Eagen; Jonathon
Saidel /Diana Roca; Barbara Landers and Philadelphia Election Case involving
Michael Stack.

arguing tried

Despite the fact that the accused
has been determined to be mentally competent, the trial currently is delayed
yet again so another determination of competency can be made. Marc Costanzo, Norristown Office
Costanzo has been a lawyer since 1984.
Cassidy joined the Attorney General's Office in 2001 and has successfully
prosecuted a McKean County Commissioner for Election Code violations as well
as a Fayette County police officer for official oppression. Currently she is
prosecuting the former mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania and his colleagues for
public corruption.

savry overrepresentation

Say Proposed Mandatory Minimum Sentences Are Unfunded Mandate

WASHINGTON, The Council of Prison Locals , the union
representing correctional staff in federal prisons, today warned that
legislation making its way through Congress that would classify certain gang-
related crimes as federal offenses and impose mandatory minimum sentences
could make federal prisons more dangerous.
Glover noted that the rise in assaults corresponds to a drop in staffing
levels at federal correctional facilities ., was
murdered.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Margaret Cassidy, Pittsburgh Office
Cassidy has been a prosecutor for 12 years and began her career in the
Allegheny County District Attorney's Office where she was assigned to the
Crimes Against Persons Unit which was responsible for handling homicides and
sexual assaults.

overrepresentation outcome

Additionally the Investigating
Grand Jury Act tasks only the Attorney General with the responsibility for
investigating multi-county public corruption .
Eshbach joined the Attorney General's Capital Litigation Unit in July of
2000, specializing in capital appeals.

Deputy Attorney General James Reeder, Harrisburg Office
Prior to becoming an attorney in 1995, Reeder worked in the banking and
educational fields.

aren differently

These prosecutors will
give the cases the highest priority and ensure that they are thoroughly
investigated in a timely manner.
Corbett said that two of the prosecutors will be assigned in the
Philadelphia region, two in the Harrisburg region and two in the Pittsburgh
region with a chief in Harrisburg .
Corbett said conflict of interest referrals from district attorneys
regarding allegations of public corruption of county and municipal officials,
including local law enforcement officials , will also be assigned to the
prosecutors in the Public Corruption Unit. Additionally, serious
allegations of election law violations will be prosecuted by the unit.

juveniles undertaking

Our legal system has failed the family of
Scott Williams.
Corbett said, "By creating a Public Corruption Unit, the Attorney
General 's Office is putting a spotlight on investigating and prosecuting
public corruption cases at a crucial time in our state's history when slot
machines and casino gaming is about to become reality.
Corbett, who prior to being elected Attorney General, was a former United
States Attorney in the Western District of Pennsylvania, said, "Just as the
United States Department of Justice has a Public Integrity Section, with a
specific mission of fighting corruption at the federal level, I believe the
Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office should have a Public Corruption Section
to combat public corruption. He is a former federal prosecutor with the United States
Department of Justice Inspector General's Office and with the United States
Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia.

Senior Deputy Attorney General E. He is currently involved in a number of criminal and ethics
prosecutions of public officials, including the two employees of the Luzerne
County Court of Common Pleas.
He joined the Attorney General's Office in 1997 and has successfully
prosecuted a contracted health care provider at several State Correctional
Institutions who over-billed the Department of Corrections by $400,000.

This category is for sites dealing with current issues of debate related to juvenile justice .

minors cya

Glover
explained that over the past few years, staffing levels in federal prisons
have not kept pace with the growth of the prison population, making these
facilities more violent."
Corbett noted that the Pennsylvania Legislature created an elected,
independent Attorney General's Office in 1978, in part, as the reaction to the
abuse of power and widespread public corruption in the Shapp administration.

arguing tougher

"We're all for getting tough on crime, but felons don't just disappear
once they go to prison," said Phil Glover, president of the Council. The trial has been delayed several times, in part due to
defense claims that the accused is insane.

He also served as an Assistant
District Attorney in Union County.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony J .

injustice frontline

Although the murder was captured on video tape and more than eight
years have passed since the attack, the inmate accused of killing Williams has
yet to stand trial., Attorney General Tom Corbett
today announced the formation of a Public Corruption Unit within the Attorney
General's Office . He joined the Philadelphia
District Attorney's Office in 1987 and rose through the ranks to the Homicide
Unit.

haywood tougher

criminals murders

In one tragic attack, correctional officer
Scott Williams, who worked at the U .
Corbett has assigned seven seasoned prosecutors to the unit who will be
specially designated to investigate and prosecute public corruption cases."
Corbett said the Attorney General's Office presently investigates and
prosecutes public corruption cases through its Criminal Prosecutions Section .
Corbett said that many of the lawyers in this section are currently
involved in public corruption cases.
Eshbach returned to trial work in September 2005 and is currently involved
in a number of criminal and ethics prosecutions of public officials.

incarcerated haywood

He noted that gaming investigations, which often involve public corruption,
will be assigned to the prosecutors in the Public Corruption Unit .

haywood criminals

Corrections Staff Warn That Anti-Gang Bill Could Make Prisons More Violent

Senior Deputy Attorney General Jonelle Harter Eshbach, Harrisburg Office
Eshbach began her career as a prosecutor in the York County District
Attorney's Office where she rose to the position of First Deputy.

handled juvenile

The fact that there still has been no trial eight years after
his murder mocks our legal system and defies calls for swift justice," said
Glover.

CONTACT: Kevin Harley
Press Secretary
717-787-5211
harley@attorneygeneral.

washingtonpost prosecutors

The unit is designed to primarily combat corruption through
the prosecution of elected officials and government employees. She has handled the capital appeal of
Luzerne County mass murderer George Banks, and other capital murderers such as
York County's Hubert Michael and Daniel Jacobs, Lancaster County's Robert Zook
and Lebanon County's Freeman May, as well as many others throughout
Pennsylvania state and federal courts. He was a prosecutor in the York County District
Attorney's Office for eight years and joined the Attorney General's Office
last year.

frontline haywood

He
has won convictions against the former Executive Deputy Commissioner for the
Department of Corrections, a local tax collector and several police officials
for misusing their public positions .