Testimony Continues in Orie Melvin Trial
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The corruption trial of suspended State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin and her sister Janine Orie continued Monday.
Prosecutors called Jamie Pavlot to testify against Justice Orie Melvin, and her sister Janine. Pavlot was former convicted state legislator Jane Orie's chief of staff.
She testified against Jane Orie and lawyers for Joan Orie Melvin successfully sought to unseal federal court records regarding Pavlot in preparation for this case.
Pavlot testified that she was not only ordered to do political work during office hours by her then-boss Jane Orie, but was also given directives by Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin and Janine Orie.
Pavlot said she estimated that 20 to 50 percent of her time working was spent doing political work for Joan Orie Melvin's 2003 and 2009 campaigns.
When asked by the prosecutor why she took orders from Jane Orie's sisters, Pavlot replied, "Because the Senator said 'If either of my sisters Janine or Joan give you a directive, do it as though it was coming from me.'"
Orie-Melvin is now suspended from the bench and is facing serious charges, including four felonies.
She's accused of using her judicial staff to run her election campaigns in 2003 and 2009.
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