Pa. judge won't delay public corruption retrial

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A county judge is keeping Pennsylvania state Sen. Jane Orie’s public corruption retrial on track to begin next week.

Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning ruled Monday against Orie’s efforts to have her case dismissed on double-jeopardy grounds, or to have him removed from the case.

Judge Manning’s opinion turns down a request to delay the start of her retrial. She’s facing a second proceeding because the judge declared a mistrial March 2 during jury deliberations after concluding the defense used forged documents as evidence.

Judge Manning also is not granting Orie’s motion to have the state attorney general, rather than the county proseuctor’s office, investigate the documents in question.

A spokesman for the district attorney declined comment, and Orie’s lawyer didn’t immediately return a phone message.