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| Former judge Joan Orie Melvin in handcuffs |
(Scroll down for video) A Pennsylvanian woman was arrested after mishandling government money and was sentenced to being shamed publicly.
Former Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin and her sister Janine Orie, were arrested for illegal campaigning on government time.
Melvin and her sister Orie each received house arrest for illegal use of state-funded staff as part of her campaigns for a seat in the state’s highest court. Instead of putting the former judge behind bars, the court has brought back some old-fashioned shame.
Pittsburgh Judge Lester Nauhaus reprimanded Melvin for participating in crimes of "arrogance." The judge then ordered to immediately photograph the woman while in handcuffs by a photographer of the county. Melvin was ordered to write an apology letter and send it together with her picture to several hundred state judges as well as to her family.
“I think any criminal would have chosen the shaming punishment over going to jail. Too bad the public shaming option is only available to the elite in the United States,” Mary Summer, 35, of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania told YourJewsihNews.com after hearing about the former judges punishment.
Melvin was also sentenced to three years of house arrest in which she can only leave to church or to do her court ordered community service at a soup kitchen. If she wants to leave the house other than to these two places, she has to get the judge’s permission.
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