INTRO

Presented here are several corrupt criminal prosecutions conducted in the 37th Judicial District of Pennsylvania. They are three of the more egregious examples of this ongoing corruption, but in numbers they are only the tip of the iceberg. One of them happens to be my own.

At the core of each of these cases, is a court system that is corrupt from the Court Reporter to the President Judge. An utterly corrupt system, at the very heart of which is the most despicable, and most frightening conduct within the "Halls of Justice" imaginable - the complicity of a defendant's own attorneys - with police and prosecutors who are themselves corrupt. It is a conspiracy the deliberate intent, purpose and effect of which renders every aspect of due process, the rule of law, and in fact every single right and protection guaranteed to a defendant by the Constitutions of the United States and of Pennsylvania a mere joke. Justice, in fact, even reality is a mere illusion in the 37th Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

But it does not stop here. In fact, that is only the very beginning. All together, what is presented here shows a truly incredible degree of corruption and collusion that extends like tentacles throughout the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.

And it does not stop there. Although their actions will not be seen as so egregious, it is in fact our appellate courts - the Superior and the Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania, and our elected officials which bear the primary responsibility for these matters. The simple fact is this situation exists simply because it can.

It is especially troubling that our elected officials of Pennsylvania refuse to even respond (in any meaningful sense) to our repeated requests for action in these matters - matters which constitute direct assaults upon the rights of citizens, assaults perpetrated by a corrupt conspiracy of judges, prosecutors, police, and "defense" attorneys, and whose actions constitute the utter subversion of our law-enforcement and judicial systems.

This is especially troubling of course, because this represents another branch of a government whose other two branches have gone totally berserk. Further, it seems to us that it is in fact this deliberate indifference of "our representatives" towards such matters that has created an environment, that is, an entire system - which not only tolerates the government's denial and abuse of the rights of it's citizens, but actually protects, and thereby promotes and encourages such corruption and police-state tactics.

The totality of the circumstances in these cases do in fact indicate that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is itself a corrupt organization, a rogue state - unable and/or unwilling to confront, or rectify, indeed, to even acknowledge these gross violations of public trust, and the trampling of the most basic elements of our Constitution.

We are therefore demanding a full-fledged federal investigation of these matters. An investigation culminating in an inquiry in the nature of Congressional Hearings. Nothing less will vindicate our constitution, the rule of law, and the public's faith in our judicial system.

This is my own case. And no, I am not not a totally unbiased writer on this subject. That's why I have included such extensive documentation. There will be many, perhaps most, that will look no further than to discern the fact that I must have done "something". And I most certainly did. The question is, what? Which is a question for a jury - to be answered by way of a public trial. A jury and a trial that I was cheated out of through the complicity of my own "attorneys".

I was (falsely) charged with two counts of aggravated assault, and one count of reckless endangerment, as a result of an incident which began when I was accosted by seven hostile and intoxicated individuals. Upon fleeing, I was pursued by several of these individuals to my residence, which I entered and immediately exited - armed with an (unloaded) 30-30 rifle.

What followed is still a matter of dispute. Joseph Zdarko asserted that I struck him several times. Mr. Bryan Cordner claimed that I was "clicking the gun right on my ass". I have consistently maintained that I never touched either, or any, of these individuals - in any way, shape or form. It is settled that an altercation did occur, and I admit to chasing them down the street with an unloaded rifle. Period.

I was also charged with violations of the controlled substance act based upon a (warrantless/nightime) search of my residence which occurred when police entered my residence as a result of that altercation. A search that was illegal on it's face, but never even challenged by counsel.

Unlike Mr. Buckley, and Mr. Brown, I am not claiming total innocence in this matter. I am claiming my right to NOT be charged with a crime which the police never had any basis to believe was actually committed. And a right to the protections guaranteed by our Constitution, rights as fundamental as the due process of law, and equal protection under the laws.

These include a right to confront my accusors in a court of law, and to present a defense to those charges - with the assistance of competent counsel - before a jury of my peers. A right to be advised of exculpatory evidence. A right to be secure against unreasonable searches. And a right to be sentenced to a legal sentence under the law for any crime for which I may have been found guilty. ALL of which I was denied.

Like Michael Brown, I too was "permitted" to enter guilty pleas to "lesser" charges in exchange for the dismissal of the very serious charge of aggravated assault. A charge that both the district attorney and my own "attorney" knew, or most certainly should have known, was utterly false. Both of whom intentionally deceive me as to that fact.

I was sentenced to a total term of confinement of 3 to 4 years - a sentence that was blatently illegal right on it's face - by the simple fact that 3 is more than half of four. A sentence "defense" counsel (Joseph A. Massa) immediately assured me he would appeal.

Approximately two years later I obtained information from Mr. Garwood Boyer - one of the individuals involved in the altercation - which indicated that the "victim's" "injuries" were in fact extremely minor - rather than the "serious bodily injury" as I was charged.

Mr. Boyer further indicated that such "injuries" may very well have been self-inflicted. Mr. Boyer also recanted his previous police statement that he had seen me strike Mr. Zdarko. He further stated that Zdarko had told the other "witnesses" to say they had seen me strike him, as he intended to sue me. Probably for making him piss his pants.

At about that same time I also discovered that "attorney" Massa had not in fact appealed this unlawful sentence. Neither did he advise me of that fact - despite my numerous inquires as to the status of this "appeal".

This case essentially consists of my (by necessity) pro se efforts to withdraw my guilty pleas based primarily upon the unlawful withholding of this highly exculpatory evidence. It is important to note that I am not alleging withholding merely by the district attorney, but the District Attorney, Richard A. Hernan AND my own "attorneys", Joseph A. Massa Jr. and John A. Aranyos. As you will see in Buckley/Brown, this collusion in the withholding of such evidence is their favorite trick - in fact it appears to be their standard operating procedure.

In addition, I also challenged the numerous violations in the court's Guilty Plea Colloquy, as being defective and insufficient to support a knowing, voluntary entry of my guilty plea as required under Pa. R. Crim. Proc. 319. It is important to understand, from a legal standpoint, that the record must demonstrate that a plea was in fact knowingly and voluntarily entered. This record shows just the opposite.

I also challenged the legality of this sentence, a sentence which was, in fact, about the most illegal sentence that could possibly be designed, on its very face.

The simple fact that I was forced to serve the entire four years of this blatantly illegal sentence - is in fact the single most compelling example of the absolute complicity which permeates this entire case. The fact is that I was forced to serve this sentence as the result of a truly incredible degree of feigned ignorance, duplicity, and collusion involving Judge Robert L. Wolfe, the District Attorney's office of Warren County, my own "attorneys", the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, and the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. None of which, during this entire four years, was I able to convince that three is more than half of four. It is a complicity that included my absolute TOTAL abandonment by "attorneys" Massa, Aranyos, and McKeirnan - despite the blatant illegality of this sentence. Another of their favorite tricks (abandonment).

There are in fact three notable and parallel elements consistent in Lauffenberger and Buckley/Brown. One is that they involve essentially the same officials and attorneys, as indicated:

The only difference in this cast is that attorney Joseph Massa was Chief Public Defender in my case, and subsequently succeeded Richard Hernan as District Attorney early in the Buckley/Brown case. In fact, he resigned his position as Chief Public Defender to become an assistant District Attorney as a result of the arrests of Brown and Buckley. Massa's assistant while Public Defender (Aranyos} then succeeded Massa as Chief Public Defender. Aranyos' assistant, Thomas Bonavita, then succeeded Aranyos as Chief Public Defender in January of 1991. "Attorney" Ross W. McKeirnan also "represented" both myself and Mr. Brown at various stages of the proceedings. He is now the Chief Public Defender of Warren County.

Another similar aspect of these cases is the tactics of these very same attorneys. That is, of acting in collusion with the prosecution, and therefore against the interests of their clients, the interests of justice, and the laws of our Constitution. A collusion that results in fact, by it's very nature, in the absolute subversion of the entire judicial process.

In my case, charges were brought that I did "cause serious bodily injury" - when in fact, no such injury was inflicted. And they (police, prosecutors, and my own "attorneys") knew it. THEY knew it - but lied to me about it.

Mr. Brown was arrested on his own (duped) statements - statements that he had removed the victim's blouse and bra, and witnessed Jay Buckley rape and murder Kathy Wilson. Statements they (the police, prosecutors, and his own "attorneys") knew were false. Statements they knew were false because they gave him the information needed to establish himself as an "eyewitness".

He was then charged with MURDER, and accomplice to kidnap and rape. He was then essentially held incommunicado, through the actions of his own attorneys, until he could be coerced to continue his falsehoods - under threat of the death penalty! And that is only the very beginning.

A third similar, and even more troubling element of these cases, is the obvious extremes to which other Commonwealth entities are willing to go in order to protect this gang of thugs. In my case, this involved the Pennsylvania Superior Court's utter disregard of a defendant's most fundamental rights, including the right to effective counsel. AND their _utter fabrication_ of the clear relevant facts of record. In Mr. Brown's case, it is the Office of the Attorney General's blatent and ludicrous efforts to avoid the prosecution of an admitted perjuror in a capital murder case! An utterly obscene effort that was in fact facillitated by our appellate courts by even agreeing to hear his absurd arguments.

A significant point to consider, I think a very significant point, is that if my case had been dealt with honestly - by either Judge Wolfe or the Pennsylvania Superior Court - the entire Buckley/Brown fiasco would have never happened. . . . all of these attorneys and officials would have been disbarred, and in jail. Remember that as you are reading Buckley/Brown. It never would have happened . . . The question is, will it be stopped NOW?

COM v. Lauffenberger

Commonwealth v Buckley

The trial of Jay William Buckley, accused of kidnapping, raping, and murdering Kathy Wilson of Jamestown, N.Y. This is where it all started - the effort by police and prosecutors to frame Jay Buckley. Mr. Buckley was (eventually) acquitted of all charges after the prosecution's "star witness" ("co-defendant" Michael Brown) admitted on cross-examination to 767 lies. That's right. Seven-hundred-and-sixty-seven lies. Those are the lies admitted to during the trial. The fact is, everything he said during the trial were lies - lies he was in fact coerced to tell through his own knowingly false prosecution - and the threat of the death penalty.

The trial of Jay Buckley is but part one of a story a story of corrupt law enforcement officials - police, prosecutors, judges, and attorneys within the 37th Judicial District (Warren County) of Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, for justice, and for the Wilson family, this case has very little, or nothing, to do with the question of who killed Kathy Wilson.

Instead, it is merely the stage upon which the first act of this incredible fraud is acted out. It is a story of false arrest, false prosecution, suborned perjury, coached and coerced testimony, fabricated evidence, the withholding of exculpatory evidence, and a conspiracy the scope and thoroughness of which is simply staggering.

All of which, in addition to the harm inflicted upon the defendants in this case, the damage to our judicial system, and the assault upon our Constitutions, has resulted in the perpetrator(s) of the brutal kidnap, rape, and murder of a young mother of three remaining at large, unpunished, and probably emboldened.

Thanks very much it is clear, to the corrupt machinations of Pennsylvania State Police Troopers John Herzog III and Michael Povlick, and Warren County District Attorneys Richard A. Hernan and Joseph A. Massa Jr., their investigator, James Tridico - and substantially aided and abetted by "attorneys" of the Public Defender's office - John Aranyos, Thomas Bonavita, Ross W. McKeirnan, and their "investigator" Roger Thelin (former Chief of Police of Warren Borough).

Undoubtably, one of the strangest aspects of this entire matter, (and that is saying alot) once you fully comprehend it, is that of all the "evidence" presented in this case, the question of whether you believe Jay Buckley committed these crimes actually comes down to whether you believe Michael Brown told the authorities the truth. Not during the trial (that is well settled). But in the very beginning - that Jay Buckley told Michael Brown he had kidnapped and killed someone. And, interestingly enough, that the kidnapping took place in Falconer.

Other than that, this case has absolutely nothing to do with the question of who killed Kathy Wilson. The crime that it does have to do with is the trial itself. Part of the reality of Buckley/Brown is exposed here - during the trial - and much more of it if you know who to believe. And who the real liars are. It is also of course the background to all that follows in Brown. In the final analysis, Buckley is what the Commonwealth did. Brown is about how they did it, and their ongoing efforts to cover it up.

COM v. Buckley

Commonwealth v Brown

This is the beginning of the unraveling of the truth. Michael Brown, Buckley's "co-defendant" - and the prosecution's star "eyewitness" in the above case - is sentenced to the maximum consecutive sentence on each of the "reduced" charges to which he had pled pursuant to his "plea agreement".

Wait a minute, says Michael Brown. That wasn't the deal, and,

"I WASN'T EVEN THERE!"

Thus the truth begins to emerge, (but only begins) in what is probably the most corrupt prosecution ever conducted in the courts of Pennsylvania - to be followed by the most corrupt prosecution ever not conducted!

If you remember the Keystone Cops, these are the Korrupt Keystone Kops. In fact, it is one of the more troubling aspects of this case that such bumbling corruption could, after wending it's way through our entire judicial system, actually succeed. A more troubling view is that if there was one honest law enforcement official, one honest attorney, or one honest judge involved in this case, or one honest elected official, out of all who are aware of this case, it would never have happened. And it certainly could never have succeeded.

After being sentenced, Michael Brown not only totally recanted all of his prior statements and trial testimony in the Buckley case, he further claimed that he was duped (by the police) into making false statements for the promise of a reward. He further yet claims that he was then arrested and threatened with the death penalty if he did not agree to enter guilty pleas - and to "cooperate" with the authorities in their false prosecution against Jay Buckley. The FACTS of this case show that is exactly what happened.

Mr. Brown asserted that he was both coached, and coerced by law enforcement authorities (AND his own attorneys) to provide this false testimony, and that the details of his "eyewitness" testimony were provided by Warren County District Attorney Joseph A. Massa, State Police investigator John Herzog - and his own "attorney", John Aranyos, Chief Public Defender of Warren County. The record shows that this is in fact exactly what happened.

Judge Robert L. Wolfe found sufficient evidence supporting Mr. Brown's claims as to require the granting of Mr. Brown's motion to withdraw his guilty pleas (AFTER SENTENCING) to the reduced charges to which he had pled as a result of his purported role in the kidnap, rape, and murder of Kathy Wilson.

In fact, the basis of Judge Wolfe's decision was his finding that Michael Brown WAS NOT EVEN SO MUCH AS A WITNESS to these crimes, let alone a PERPETRATOR - and that the Commonwealth, that is, the police and the District Attorney - KNEW IT.

Now this is the tricky part - because as serious as the implications of Judge Wolfe's conclusion are, the truth is far, far more serious. The truth is, that these entire proceedings concerning the withdrawal of Michael Brown's guilty plea were also an absolute sham, a sham specifically designed to cover up the atrocious original conduct of these same actors. Judge Wolfe was indeed "compelled" to conclude the Commonwealth knew the Defendan't assertion he was an eyewitness were without merit." But the fact is, this is the essence of this entire fraud, a fraud perpetrated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to this date - specifically, that the authorities merely knew Michael Brown was neither a witness nor a participant to these crimes. AND ignoring the (very clear) implications of this finding.

The first of these implications, obviously, is that the Commonwealth had both provided, and knowingly promoted this false testimony. And that these authorities knowingly and falsely prosecuted Mr. Brown despite this knowledge. And that they did so, knowingly and intentionally, for the specific purpose of falsely arresting and prosecuting Jay Buckley. Of course, these aren't even implications - they are facts of record. Facts which this Commonwealth has very deliberately ignored - and continues to ignore to this very day.

Also fairly implicit in Judge Wolfe's finding is that Mr. Brown's own attorneys were likewise aware of the fact that Mr. Brown was never so much as a witness to these crimes, let alone a defendant. And furthermore, that these attorneys acted in collusion with the prosecution - not only to coerce and promote this false testimony at Mr. Buckley's capital murder trial, but in fact to coerce Mr. Brown's own guilty pleas. And further yet, to obstruct and suppress his numerous attempts to tell the truth in these matters. Not only were Michael Brown's guilty pleas vacated by Judge Wolfe on the basis of these findings, but District Attorney Joseph A. Massa - while continuing to profess his belief in Michael Brown's involvement - subsequently declined to prosecute Mr. Brown, on either the charges to which he had pled, or the original charges of murder and accomplice to kidnapping and rape - citing "the unlikelyhood of a successful prosecution". Yes indeed, unlikely. Once Michael broke free and let the cat out of the bag.

A close examination of the record makes clear that there never was any basis for those charges, nor the charges against Mr. Buckley. And certainly no basis for Mr. Brown's coerced guilty pleas to the reduced charges. None - except the duped, coached, and coerced statements of Michael Brown himself.

District Attorney Joseph A. Massa also refused to prosecute Mr. Brown for his literally hundreds of admitted perjuries and false statements committed throughout the investigation and prosecution of Jay Buckley. No small wonder, as he is one of the primary perpetrators in coercing Mr. Brown to commit these perjuries, in the suppression of his efforts to recant these perjuries, and in withholding these recantations from Buckley's defense attorney, the court, and the jury.

It is quite clear that the basis for the District Attorney's refusal to prosecute these charges was (and is) to avoid a public trial and the attendant public presentation of the facts concerning Mr. Brown's assertion (and only defense), that he was in fact both coached and coerced in the commission of these perjuries. A public trial - that would prove Mr. Brown was both coached AND coerced - through the corrupt conspiracy of the District Attorney (himself), the Pennsylvania State Police, and Michael Brown's OWN ATTORNEY'S - John Aranyos, Ross W. McKeirnan, and Thomas Bonavita.

Attorney General of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

As a result of the District Attorney's refusal to prosecute Mr. Brown on these perjurys, Jay Buckley's attorney, Barry L. Smith, has filed private criminal charges on behalf of Mr. Buckley against Michael Brown, including perjury, obstruction of justice, false reports, and conspiring with Pennsylvania State Police investigator John Herzog, and Warren County District Attorney Joseph A. Massa Jr. "to commit the crime of perjury at the preliminary hearing and trial of Jay Buckley."

The Office of the Attorney General of Pennsylvania has adamantly refused to prosecute any of these charges, despite being Ordered to proceed with such prosecution by the trial court, a three judge panelof the Pennsylvania Superior Court, the full Superior Court, and most recently the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Not only did the trial court, and both panels of the Superior Court find the Attorney General's actions of refusing to prosecute this case to be a "gross abuse of discretion", the Supreme Court actually found him to have acted "in bad faith". Yet quite incredibly, they then permitted him to continue his "prosecution" of this case!!

It is patently clear to every citizen of Warren County that the Attorney General's purpose in refusing to prosecute these charges is to drag this matter out as long as possible, and, ultimately, to offer a "plea bargain" to Michael Brown. Thus he will still manage to avoid a public trial - a trial that would totally expose this entire corrupt conspiracy. Why can't the courts see this? Why can't our elected officials see it? Only because they don't want to.

In addition to his totally ludicrous reasons for refusing to prosecute these charges, the Attorney General has presented a most dangerous argument: that the court has no authority over a prosecutor's refusal to prosecute a case when such a decision is based upon "policy considerations".

If the Supreme Court were to have accepted this absurd argument, the Constitutional Right of every citizen of Pennsylvania for review by the courts of such a decision would be abolished. It is clear this Attorney General needs to be abolished. Instead, it seems he is thinking about running for Governor!

Thus we arrive at one of the ultimate absurdities of this entire judicial and constitutional travesty: This Commonwealth's top law-enforcement official's pursuit of the destruction of an important right of the citizens of Pennsylvania - as part of his efforts to protect corrupt judges, attorneys, prosecutors, and law-enforcement officers. And in the full view of our Superior and Supreme courts, our state legislators, and Governor Ridge. Can we possibly allow all this to go unchallenged and unaccounted for - and still cling to our notions of constitutional protections, justice, and indeed the integrity of our entire system? Of course not.