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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A former Pennsylvania judge serving a 28-year prison term for a scandal that became known as "kids for cash" has secured an appeals hearing to overturn some of his convictions.
An evidentiary hearing is set for Sept. 14 in Harrisburg.
Former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella (shih-vuh-REHL'-uh) was convicted of accepting bribes in exchange for ordering kids to a for-profit detention center. The Wilkes-Barre Citizen's Voice reports (http://bit.ly/2vPK607 ) he denies wrongdoing and is seeking to reduce his sentence based on a U.S. Supreme Court decision.
The decision holds that an official must exercise governmental power to be guilty of honest services mail fraud. Ciavarella was convicted of 12 charges, including four counts of honest services mail fraud.
Filmmakers made a documentary called "Kids for Cash" about the case.
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