Ex-Pa. Justice Melvin gets house arrest, probation

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Former state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin has been sentenced to three years of house arrest followed by two years of probation for illegal political campaigning.

Allegheny County Judge Lester Nauhaus on Tuesday also fined Melvin $55,000. He ordered her to have her picture taken and send the photo with an apology to every judge in the state to make amends for the abuse of her office.

Channel 11’s Alan Jennings reported that Melvin will not even be allowed on her porch while she’s on house arrest. Jennings also reported that she’ll have to volunteer three days per week in a soup kitchen.

Melvin was convicted of using her former court staff -- and that of her sister, a former state senator -- on her political campaigns.

Melvin's third sister, Janine Orie, was also sentenced Tuesday to one year of house arrest and two years of probation for the illegal campaigning, which she helped coordinate.

In a statement, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said the following:

"Melvin's failure to apologize for her criminal conduct to the citizens of this commonwealth and to the members of the judiciary, to which she has brought great dishonor, reflects the arrogance of which Judge Nauhaus spoke so forcefully."

WPXI