Well, this isn’t something you see every day.
Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced the arrest of former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed today.
“This is one of the most disturbing cases of public corruption this office has investigated,” Attorney General Kane said. “Mayor Reed used taxpayer money to further his own interests. His conduct is at the root of the fiscal issues that continue to plague the City of Harrisburg today.”
“In order for the City of Harrisburg to continue its financial recovery, it is imperative that its citizens have a clear picture of the past.”
Kane ultimately unveiled a list of 499 criminal counts against Reed:
- 2 counts of corrupt organizations (F-1).
- 2 counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities (F-1).
- 2 counts of theft by deception (F-1).
- 20 counts of theft by receiving stolen property (F-2).
- 20 counts of theft by unlawful taking or disposition (F-2).
- 1 count of theft by deception (F-2).
- 7 counts of bribery in official and political matters (F-3).
- 29 counts of theft by receiving stolen property (F-3).
- 29 counts of theft by unlawful taking or disposition (F-3).
- 3 counts of theft of services (F-3).
- 1 count of theft by deception (F-3).
- 110 counts of theft by receiving stolen property (M-1).
- 110 counts of theft by unlawful taking or disposition (M-1).
- 158 counts of misapplication of entrusted property and property of government or financial institutions (M-2).
- 1 count of deceptive business practices (M-2).
- 3 counts of criminal solicitation (M-2).
- 1 count of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence (M-2)
One of Reed’s hobbies was apparently buying artifacts. It would also appear that the former Harrisburg Mayor is a horror fan as in his house there were: a life-sized sarcophagus, a full suit of armor and a “vampire hunting kit”.
These items were found when agents from the AG’s office raided Reed’s home last month.
Kane also briefly addressed the allegations against her during the press conference. She asserted she will not resign if charged by Montgomery County DA Risa Ferman.
“I hear the rumors around Harrisburg, and I sometimes think the rumor mill is akin to middle school sometimes,” she stated.
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10 Responses
Oh … Napoleon Shill: Did you mean —
Three Mondays from now. Three Mondays from now. Three Mondays from now.
???
LOL … you are a bunch of whining little girls …
Oh … and one of the biggest problems with the “legal system” that unethical prosecutors mis-use grand juries to attack a political adversaries and settle personal grudges. I have no idea if AG Kane is competent … or smart … or ethical. But it sure does look like she has been the target of a vicious hatchet-job. How else can anyone explain the CONSTANT ILLEGAL LEAKS from a grand jury that was supposed to be investigating ILLEGAL LEAKS?
KSDF-
It’s still a bullsh*t way to charge people. I view it as worse than creating double jeopardy by trying to get two charges for a single offense. If they don’t know how he got he got the items, then they shouldn’t be able to charge him with conflicting crimes in hopes evidence will turn up later to support their theories. Also, it’s prejudicial to a jury to have a high trumped up count.
This is why the legal system is so flawed and unfair. It’s a rigged game, and way for prosecutors to “negotiate” dropping some charges for plea deals, but it’s really a form of government coercion.
@DD, “Double counting” is appropriate and accepted practice because of double jeopardy concerns. The reason that this is done is so that the guilty doesn’t go free if evidence of a particular element of a prima facie case cannot be proved by the prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt.
E.g., if Mayor Reed was found with stolen property and his defense was that someone gave it to him and he knew that the goods were hot, then the prosecution will have a tough time proving theft by taking absent other evidence. By double charging, he can still be guilty of knowingly receiving stolen property once both sides present their case.
“vampire hunting kit” – that’s just good public safety. Homeland Security provides those along with those tanks.
Not a coincidence that reed’s hired gun, Hank Hockeimer, is also Adrian King’s lawyer and law partner.
Proxy war.
Well, stuff like this is what is wrong with the legal system:
This is clearly double-counting.
110 counts of theft by receiving stolen property (M-1).
110 counts of theft by unlawful taking or disposition (M-1
Look! Look! Kane is doing something besides dodging her own scandals. Hard to believe she actually found somebody in PA who might be more corrupt than she is.
It’s the other way around: They likely dropped one because to have 500 even counts would seem too contrived.
In any event, she WAY overcharged this.
499?
No one could find an additional charge for an even 500?