Melvin ends appeal, apologizes
PITTSBURGH — Former Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin has dropped her appeal of her campaign corruption conviction and has submitted drafts of apology letters she is ordered to send to other state judges and former staffers while serving her house arrest sentence.
Allegheny County prosecutors had said they were going to argue for a 2½- to 5-year prison term had Melvin won resentencing or a new trial during her Pennsylvania Supreme Court appeal — but District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. contends Melvin proposed letters “can hardly be considered an apology” because they attempt to steer blame away from herself.
Melvin’s attorneys notified the state’s high court late Monday that Melvin is ending her appeals and wants to begin serving her three years’ house arrest as soon as possible.
The Superior Court had previously upheld Melvin’s conviction and sentence, and ruled she had to send the apology letters. But the lower appeals court had rejected Allegheny County Judge Lester Nauhaus’ order that Melvin write the apologies on copies of autographed pictures he had taken of her in handcuffs immediately after her sentencing.
Melvin’s attorney, Patrick Casey, said he had no immediate comment on Melvin’s decision to end her appeals or on Zappala’s objections to Melvin’s proposed apologies.
“I was accused of misusing my office to assist in my campaigns for Supreme Court in 2003 and 2009. I plead not guilty. I was afforded a trial and I was found guilty,” Melvin wrote in the attached apology letters. “I have now exhausted my direct appeal rights. As a matter of law, I am guilty of these offenses.”
Zappala objected to another paragraph in which Melvin wrote, “In reflection, I wish I had been more diligent in my supervision of my staff and that I had given them more careful instructions with respect to the prohibition on political activity.”
Zappala said his staff has forwarded their “concerns” over Melvin’s language to Nauhaus, who didn’t immediately return a call for comment.
“While Ms. Orie-Melvin contends in her filing that she wishes to resume her entire sentence including the issuance of letters of apology, attempting to deflect blame for her actions to members of her staff can hardly be considered an apology,” Zappala said in a statement.
