More troubles for Phila. Traffic Court judges

The state Judicial Conduct Board filed disciplinary charges Wednesday against one current and three former Philadelphia Traffic Court judges, the latest action involving the disgraced and defunct court.

The complaint charged Judge Michael J. Sullivan and former Judges Michael Lowry, Thomasine Tynes, and Kenneth Miller with violating the state constitution and judicial conduct rules in a massive ticket-fixing scandal.

All four were indicted in a January 2013 federal case charging them with giving preferential treatment to politically connected defendants. Shortly after the indictment, state officials suspended the four, and later that year abolished Traffic Court.

Sullivan, who officially is still a judge but now works in construction, was the only one acquitted in the federal case.

Despite Sullivan's acquittal, the judicial board said there was evidence showing that he violated court regulations. It cited cases in which he allegedly had improper conversations with defendants before dismissing their tickets.

It also said he directed Miller to give "special consideration" to defendants, which violated judicial rules and the constitution.

In December, the judicial board had filed similar charges against Sullivan. Sullivan's lawyer, Samuel C. Stretton, said the December charges were related to the new ones, and the two case probably will be consolidated.

Stretton said his client is not guilty of the allegations and will fight them "vigorously" at a judicial trial.

Stretton said Sullivan has not received a judicial paycheck since February 2013 and is seeking to have his salary reimbursed. He said the judicial trial will probably be this summer.

Paychecks also were stopped in February 2013 for Lowry, who was convicted of federal perjury charges and was sentenced to 20 months in prison. His term on the bench expired in January 2014. His attorney, William A. DiStefano, could not be reached for comment.

Tynes was convicted of a federal perjury charge and sentenced to two years in prison. She also pleaded guilty to separate state corruption charges.

Miller, who was a former Delaware County district judge and filled in for a year as a judge with Traffic Court, pleaded guilty to corruption in the federal case.

Robert A. Graci, the Judicial Conduct Board's chief counsel, declined to predict how long it would take to complete the judicial disciplinary proceedings.