Acquittals in Traffic Court Case
Big news:
More details on jury verdict in Phila. Traffic Court case; defendants not guilty on fraud, conspiracy charges: http://t.co/VOuUJipsXE
— Legal Intelligencer (@thelegalintel) July 23, 2014
The panel’s announcement at U.S. District Court in Philadelphia came after it deliberated for about 12 hours over three days.
On trial were former judges Michael J. Sullivan, Michael Lowry, Robert Mulgrew, Willie Singletary, and Thomasine Tynes.
Throughout the two-month trial, prosecutors characterized Traffic Court as a judicial system plagued by cronyism that cost the city and state millions in unrealized fines.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern PA issued this release:
A federal jury today delivered its verdicts against seven defendants charged in a ticket fixing conspiracy involving the former Philadelphia Traffic Court. Jurors found three defendants – Michael Lowry, Robert Mulgrew, and Thomasine Tynes – guilty of committing perjury before the federal grand jury and defendant Willie Singletary guilty of lying to the FBI when questioned about ticket fixing at Traffic Court. Three defendants – Michael Sullivan, Robert Moy, and Mark A. Bruno – were found not guilty.
Co-defendants H. Warren Hogeland, Kenneth Miller, Fortunato Perri, William Hird, and Henry P. Alfano previously pleaded guilty.
“We respect the jury’s verdict in this case and will continue our efforts to root out corruption in Philadelphia and this district,” said United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. “We are pleased that the jury convicted these former judges of the serious offenses of lying under oath and lying to the FBI.”
Sentencing hearings were not scheduled. Each defendant faces a maximum possible statutory sentence of not more than five years and/or a fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise S. Wolf and Anthony J. Wzorek.
More to come. You’ll remember, though, we asked a few weeks ago if ticket-fixing was that big a deal. Seems like the jury might’ve wondered the same thing.
Previously: Traffic Court Drama: “The Government’s Theory Makes No Sense!”
Previously: Traffic Court Drama: Closing Arguments in the Traffic Court Trial
Previously: The Chart the Traffic Court Judges Didn’t Want The Jury To See
