I can’t imagine it’s just me that has a problem with the Magisterial District Justice’s and District Attorney’s office in Lancaster County. There procedure, lack of professionalism, and most of all, the way employees and officers of these courts are reprimanded both within each individual district court and by the District Attorney’s office.
How is it that an actual MDJ Judge can commit ethical and legal misconduct over and over and yet it barely gets noticed, or makes the news for that matter, and a mere secretary or clerk can be crucified by the same justice system solely on a malicious statement made by another? I know the answer. It’s actually quite simple. The county can no longer sweep these acts under the rug. The community wants action; they clearly see that these wrongdoings are going unpunished.
So, what better way for District Attorney Stedman to show that he has everything under control? Let’s take someone from the bottom of the totem pole, charge them, and tell our residents that it is unacceptable that we allow any officer of the court at the MDJ level to shake the trust the people have in it, and “presto” the heat is off and it looks like they’re doing their job. News flash mister District Attorney, the trust of the people in this county’s MDJ system was shaken long before you found your perfect “fall guy”.
Timing is everything, that’s what I’ve always been told. It’s ironic that it’s an election year, there have already been a number of negative, unethical, and even criminal events that have occurred over the past year within the MDJ court system, that have been briefly address or conveniently silently dealt with, and now the stakes are high for many court officials in Lancaster County. So understandably, it’s “put up or shut up” for them now. But really, should it be at the expense of an upstanding citizen, who has never had a history of criminal activity or a criminal record: that may have worked hard as a county employee or studied hard to one day have a career in the Criminal Justice field, even while being mistreated by the same system they worked for, long before becoming their scapegoat? I don’t know about you but I don’t think so.
An advantage of being a native of good old Lancaster County, and I use “good “ loosely, is that you get to learn who’s “in bed together”. If you put your assumptions aside, and you observe closely with a clear mind, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the corruption that’s right here in this conservative little town.
As a resident it repulses me to see how the wheels of justice work in this town, and if you have worked for this system or have even come into contact with the legal system in some way, and you think very carefully, I’m almost positive you can recall some incident or experience within your employment or contact with it that has left the same sour taste in your mouth that it has in mine. Sadly, there may not be much that can be done for those peons, fall guys, and scapegoats that have already fallen prey to overeager detectives from the District Attorney’s office, or District Justice Judges who have no problems allowing those beneath them to take the fall so that their elected positions aren’t jeopardized, like the most recent case of the District Court Clerk on New Holland Avenue, but there is something we can do for the naïve, innocent and unaware people who will sadly and unknowingly become a “convenient way out” for this county’s ridiculously flawed system in the future.
We need to make sure that those officials that are higher up in the food chain, or chain of command, are equally held responsible for their actions. This means immediately, not when the heat is on, or after months and years go by haven given time for scapegoats to be aggressively hunted down and served up to the District Attorney’s office by detectives. After all, isn’t it them who are “abusing
their power”?!
I just received a response to request for discovery from Craig Stedman.
He claims his office is exempt from the 14th amendment and does not have to provide evidence of innocence to defendants.
This case involves investigative reporter charged in courthouse for asking questions.
There is film but they will not release it.
Already found guilty, now on appeal – lets see if we can get the evidence from Craig.
Daddy Justice