Two Retired Judges Plead Guilty in Philadelphia Traffic Court Ticket-Fixing Probe
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Two of the nine judges charged in a sweeping indictment of Philadelphia Traffic Court today entered guilty pleas in federal court.
Warren Hogeland was a senior judge in Bucks County, and Ken Miller was a senior judge in Delaware County, but each would pitch in and help in Philadelphia Traffic Court when they were asked.
In federal court hearings today, Hogeland pleaded guilty to fixing a ticket for Miller's son and Miller pleaded guilty to helping get a ticket fixed for the son of a Delaware County court clerk.
Assistant US attorney Tony Wzorek says it was part of the practice of helping out family, friends, and the well-connected. And, Wzorek says, today's guilty pleas are the first step in cleaning it up.
"I think it tells the citizens of Philadelphia that they should expect a fair hearing when they come to traffic court and that's what the government is trying to assure happens," he said.
Wzorek says Hoagland and Miller have agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and could be called as witnesses against their former colleagues.
