Earlier that afternoon in Common Pleas Court, Belinky first pleaded not guilty, then changed his plea to guilty of a charge filed in connection with an investigation into his political campaigns.
Belinky appeared before a visiting judge to answer to a bill of information charging him with tampering with records.
A bill of information is usually filed when a defendant agrees to forego the grand jury indictment process.
In most cases, defendants plead guilty to a bill of information, but Belinky first entered a plea of not guilty.
But after some discussion in the courtroom, the former judge changed his plea to guilty.
According to the bill of information, Belinky failed to disclose 2008 campaign contributions, expenditures and loans in amounts ranging from $7,500 to $150,000. The court document does not list a specific amount.
The crime is a fourth degree felony.
"As part of the plea agreement, the defendant did agree to and did resign from the probate court bench, did agree to and did surrender his license to practice law, and will no longer practice law again," said Atty. Dan Kasaris, Special Prosecutor.
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Mug shot taken of former Judge Mark Belinky
What an awful picture...it seems to reflect the bad behavior of this judge.
ReplyDeleteHe's smiling for a mug shot?
ReplyDelete