Thursday, August 16, 2007

COURTHOUSE ODDS AND ENDS - 8/16/07

The 2008 Judicial Calendar is now posted on line and available in hard copy format at the Court Administration office on the 3rd floor/North Wing of the Courthouse. The most notable change from a Criminal Court perspective in next year's calendar is that Judge Howard Riley, Jr. will see his criminal case load reduced from two separate rotations to one rotation; it appears that one of Judge Riley's rotations will be reassigned to the newly created judge-ship (between Jennifer Levy-Tatum and former Birmingham Township Supervisor David Bortner). Judge Riley will preside over a Civil Term to replace the second Criminal Term that will be reassigned. The remainder of the Criminal Term roster of judges will remain unchanged with Judge Anthony Sarcione retaining his two rotation Criminal Terms, and Judges Thomas Gavin, James MacElree II, William Mahon, Ronald Nagle, and Phyllis Strietel each retaining their single Criminal term lists. This schedule could change once the new Justice Center opens next year (assuming that it does open next year)...

A big sentencing took place today in Courtroom #5. After a nearly two hour hearing, Jerome Bell, 22, and Donald Thornton, 24, both of Philadelphia were sentenced to 8-to-16 years in state prison for the attempted sexual assault of a 17-year-old Lincoln University freshman in the basement of her dorm during an orientation last summer. Bell (CP-15-CR-00000510-2007) and Thornton (CP-15-CR-0000511-2007) were acquitted at trial of more serious charges, including Rape and Sexual Assault, however the nature of the crime led to the sentence by Judge Ronald Nagle. Both defendants were sentenced to 5-to-10 years for Criminal Attempt/Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, 2-to-4 years for False Imprisonment, and 1-to-2 years for Indecent Assault with all sentences to run consecutively. Time permitting, a recap of the hearing will be posted.

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