Closing arguments set in Justice Melvin’s trial

Closing arguments set in Justice Melvin’s trial

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Closing arguments are set to begin in the campaign corruption trial of suspended Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin and her suspended aide and sister, Janine Orie.

The Allegheny County jury was expected to hear the arguments this morning after nearly three weeks’ of testimony.

Prosecutors say Melvin and her sister conspired to misuse Melvin’s former Superior Court staffers — which Janine allegedly managed — on Melvin’s 2003 and 2009 campaigns for the Supreme Court. They’re also charged with conspiring with a third sister, former state Sen. Jane Orie to use her state Senate staffers to campaign for Melvin, too.

Jane Orie isn’t on trial. She’s in prison for misusing her state-funded staffers on her own campaigns, though she was acquitted at the same trial last year of charges that she made her staff campaign for Melvin, too.