Pa. high court dismisses juvenile convictions

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press Writer

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has dismissed thousands of juvenile convictions issued by a judge charged in a corruption scandal.

The high court on Thursday threw out more than five years' worth of cases heard by former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella (shiv-uh-REL'-uh). He is charged with accepting millions of dollars in kickbacks to send youths to private detention centers.

The court says that all the convictions are tainted and that the youths may not be retried.

The Philadelphia-based Juvenile Law Center represents some of the youths and says the court's order covers more than 6,000 cases.