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Latest Bonusgate Defendants Not Handcuffed

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Dec 16, 2009 8:01 pm US/Eastern

Latest Bonusgate Defendants Not Handcuffed

Reporting
Jon Delano
HARRISBURG (KDKA) ― In the third round of charges in the so-called Bonusgate scandal in the state legislature, the scene of defendants being led in handcuffs before a district magistrate, then coming out free on bail until their trial, have become familiar.

This morning, it was a little bit different in Harrisburg.

State Rep. Bill DeWeese, of Greene County, showed up for his arraignment on six counts of theft, conflict of interest and conspiracy, but the normally talkative Democratic leader had only this to say about the charges:

"I'm certainly disappointed by the charges, but I will at this time ask that you allow me to proceed to my next stop."

DeWeese, his aide Sharon Rodavich - accused of running DeWeese's political operation from his Waynesburg office - and former state Rep. Stephen Stetler, charged with using government staff politically, were each allowed to report for arraignment without handcuffs.

In earlier cases, defendants had been handcuffed, which critics said was Tom Corbett's political show since the accused never posed any threat of violence.

Stetler's attorney sarcastically hailed the change.

"Despite the assertions that they were unable to do so, the Attorney General's Office has now adopted civilized western notions of arrest rather than the medieval arrest practices or the arrest practices of a medieval despot that they engaged in the last time," noted attorney Josh Lock.

After his arraignment, DeWeese said his cooperation with the Attorney General since first learning of the legislative bonuses helped Corbett make his case against others.

"Our cooperation in the ensuing months led to the presentments of the summer of '08. From that day until today, we have cooperated with the Attorney General's Office," he said.

As he left, KDKA asked if he had any words for constituents back home.
DeWeese said simply, "Have a very nice holiday."

A spokesman for the Attorney General told KDKA political editor Jon Delano that there has been no change in the handcuff policy.

The defendants were supposed to report to a police station for finger-printing - at which time they would have been handcuffed and transported to court.

Instead, they chose to go directly to the court house, and then to the police station afterwards.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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