3-26 BONUSGATE - Orie Convicted
An Allegheny County jury convicted state Sen. Jane Orie of 14 charges of corruption this afternoon.
The jury of five men and seven women returned on its fifth day of deliberations with its announcement at 5:45 p.m. convicting Orie of 14 counts -- including theft, conspiracy, conflict of interest and forgery -- and acquitting her of 10 counts including perjury and obstruction of justice.
Orie, 50, a McCandless Republican, showed no reaction to the verdicts. She left the courthouse without comment.
"We, of course, are disappointed in the verdict," said her attorney, William Costopoulus. "The jury agonized over it….I`m not being critical of the jury. There`s no positive spin I can put on it (the verdict). It`s been a very difficult, stressful ordeal for the senator and her family."
Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning set sentencing for May 21.
"I would like to thank the jurors for their hard work and diligence in arriving at this verdict," District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said in a written statement. "It is not easy to sit in judgment of another human being especially when that individual has held a position of responsibility and leadership in the community.
"I would also like to thank the members of my staff for their efforts over the past 24 months preparing this case for trial," he said.
Prosecutors accused Orie of misusing her Senate staff for political gain for herself at her sister, state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. The jury acquitted Orie of charges connected to political activity on behalf of the judge. Melvin has not been charged.
"The senator is someone I believed in, and still believe in," Costopoulus said. "An appeal will be based on the entirety of the proceedings from the time she was arrested."
The jurors made little communication with Manning about the case since telling him they were at a "serious impasse" on Saturday evening.
Orie's first case ended in a mistrial in March 2011 after Manning found the defense had introduced forged documents as evidence. That jury deliberated a short time before prosecutors showed Manning the forged documents.
The charges included felony forgery counts stemming from the documents that caused the mistrial.
Costopoulus said Orie has been released on electronic monitoring and that he planned to meet with her tonight.
No immediate decision has been made on whether she will relinquish her state Senate seat.
Staff writer Michael Hasch contributed to this report.
How it happened
Key dates in Orie corruption case
Oct. 29, 2009: University of Pittsburgh intern Jennifer Knapp Rioja complains to the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office that political work is being done inside the senator's office
Nov. 3, 2009: Joan Orie Melvin is elected to a spot on the state Supreme Court.
April 7, 2010: District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. charges Orie with 10 counts related to politicking on state time. Her sister, Janine Orie, faces three charges.
Nov. 2, 2010: Jane Orie is elected to a third full term in the state Senate.
Feb. 10, 2011: The trial for Jane Orie and Janine Orie begins.
March 3, 2011: Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning declares a mistrial after finding that the defense introduced forged documents as evidence.
Aug. 29: Zappala levels 16 additional charges against Jane Orie stemming from the forged documents.
Dec. 16: Zappala files four additional charges against Janine Orie related to allegations that she directed political work for Melvin. Janine Orie worked as an aide to Melvin.
Feb. 14, 2012: Manning decides that Jane Orie and Janine Orie will be tried separately.
Feb. 29: Jane Orie's second trial begins
March 26: A jury finds Jane Orie guilty of 14 counts and clears her of 10.
At a glance
State Sen. Jane Orie faced 24 charges in this trial.
The jury convicted her of 14 charges:
-- Two felony counts of theft, diversion of services
-- One felony conspiracy charge
-- Two felony counts of conflict of interest
-- Seven misdemeanor counts of tampering with evidence
-- Two misdemeanor forgery charges
Orie was cleared of 10 charges:
-- One felony count of theft of services
-- One misdemeanor and three felony perjury charges
-- One felony count of conflict of interest
-- One felony count of tampering with evidence
-- One misdemeanor count of tampering with evidence
-- One misdemeanor count of obstruction of justice
-- One misdemeanor count of reporting by election candidates
The jury of five men and seven women returned on its fifth day of deliberations with its announcement at 5:45 p.m. convicting Orie of 14 counts -- including theft, conspiracy, conflict of interest and forgery -- and acquitting her of 10 counts including perjury and obstruction of justice.
Orie, 50, a McCandless Republican, showed no reaction to the verdicts. She left the courthouse without comment.
"We, of course, are disappointed in the verdict," said her attorney, William Costopoulus. "The jury agonized over it….I`m not being critical of the jury. There`s no positive spin I can put on it (the verdict). It`s been a very difficult, stressful ordeal for the senator and her family."
Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning set sentencing for May 21.
"I would like to thank the jurors for their hard work and diligence in arriving at this verdict," District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said in a written statement. "It is not easy to sit in judgment of another human being especially when that individual has held a position of responsibility and leadership in the community.
"I would also like to thank the members of my staff for their efforts over the past 24 months preparing this case for trial," he said.
Prosecutors accused Orie of misusing her Senate staff for political gain for herself at her sister, state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. The jury acquitted Orie of charges connected to political activity on behalf of the judge. Melvin has not been charged.
"The senator is someone I believed in, and still believe in," Costopoulus said. "An appeal will be based on the entirety of the proceedings from the time she was arrested."
The jurors made little communication with Manning about the case since telling him they were at a "serious impasse" on Saturday evening.
Orie's first case ended in a mistrial in March 2011 after Manning found the defense had introduced forged documents as evidence. That jury deliberated a short time before prosecutors showed Manning the forged documents.
The charges included felony forgery counts stemming from the documents that caused the mistrial.
Costopoulus said Orie has been released on electronic monitoring and that he planned to meet with her tonight.
No immediate decision has been made on whether she will relinquish her state Senate seat.
Staff writer Michael Hasch contributed to this report.
How it happened
Key dates in Orie corruption case
Oct. 29, 2009: University of Pittsburgh intern Jennifer Knapp Rioja complains to the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office that political work is being done inside the senator's office
Nov. 3, 2009: Joan Orie Melvin is elected to a spot on the state Supreme Court.
April 7, 2010: District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. charges Orie with 10 counts related to politicking on state time. Her sister, Janine Orie, faces three charges.
Nov. 2, 2010: Jane Orie is elected to a third full term in the state Senate.
Feb. 10, 2011: The trial for Jane Orie and Janine Orie begins.
March 3, 2011: Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning declares a mistrial after finding that the defense introduced forged documents as evidence.
Aug. 29: Zappala levels 16 additional charges against Jane Orie stemming from the forged documents.
Dec. 16: Zappala files four additional charges against Janine Orie related to allegations that she directed political work for Melvin. Janine Orie worked as an aide to Melvin.
Feb. 14, 2012: Manning decides that Jane Orie and Janine Orie will be tried separately.
Feb. 29: Jane Orie's second trial begins
March 26: A jury finds Jane Orie guilty of 14 counts and clears her of 10.
At a glance
State Sen. Jane Orie faced 24 charges in this trial.
The jury convicted her of 14 charges:
-- Two felony counts of theft, diversion of services
-- One felony conspiracy charge
-- Two felony counts of conflict of interest
-- Seven misdemeanor counts of tampering with evidence
-- Two misdemeanor forgery charges
Orie was cleared of 10 charges:
-- One felony count of theft of services
-- One misdemeanor and three felony perjury charges
-- One felony count of conflict of interest
-- One felony count of tampering with evidence
-- One misdemeanor count of tampering with evidence
-- One misdemeanor count of obstruction of justice
-- One misdemeanor count of reporting by election candidates