Former Philadelphia Traffic Court Judge Sentenced For Lying To FBI
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A federal judge has sentenced a former Philadelphia Traffic Court judge to 20 months in prison, and had harsh words for the defendant's conduct and that system that brought the defendant to court.
Federal Judge Lawrence Stengel found defendant and former Traffic Court Judge Willie Singletary seems to have no respect for the law. Judge Stengel cited Singletary's conduct in this case, lying to the FBI about ticket fixing, and a history of other transgressions, including pages and pages of traffic violations and thousands in unpaid fines:
"How someone so obviously unqualified for this office can be elected really, I think, has more to do with the diseased political system that puts people like this up for office, than it does about Mr. Singletary himself."
Judge Stengel also cited the defendant's failure to pay nearly $20,000 in fines:
"It is the profile of a classic scofflaw, that is someone who has no respect for at least the traffic laws in the community in which he lives. And yet, this person had the audacity to run for Traffic Court judge with that record."
Seven former Traffic judges were convicted or pleaded guilty. The Traffic Court was disbanded as a result of this investigation.
