Disciplinary court suspends Phila. judge

HARRISBURG - The state Court of Judicial Discipline suspended a Philadelphia judge for three months without pay yesterday for issuing a bogus "stay-away" order on behalf of a social acquaintance.

The court, which last month found Municipal Court Judge James A. DeLeon guilty of violating the rules of judicial conduct, issued its unanimous ruling after deliberating for about 40 minutes following a sentencing hearing.

The court also ordered that DeLeon, a judge for 20 years, be placed on probation under the supervision of the Judicial Conduct Board until the end of his term in 2012. DeLeon was ordered to pay restitution to Lee Corley, the target of the stay-away order.

DeLeon's attorney, Samuel Stretton, said he had hoped for a reprimand and was disappointed by the ruling.

"It was not an unfair decision," said Stretton. "It keeps Judge DeLeon on the bench."

DeLeon, breaking free from a crowd of supporters after the hearing, told a reporter that he could not comment on the ruling, but apologized to the court panel and admitted that issuing the order "was an extremely stupid thing for me to do."

Daniel T. Reimer, assistant counsel for the Judicial Conduct Board, which charged DeLeon with violating the rules of judicial conduct, said he hoped the ruling would serve as a lesson to DeLeon.

"I hope and trust that Judge DeLeon has learned something from this and conducts himself in the future in an appropriate fashion," Reimer said. "I hope Mr. Corley, who was victimized by his conduct, feels some sense of vindication."

It was only the 45th case to rise to the level of the Court of Judicial Discipline since its founding in 1993, board officials said.

The court dropped the most serious count, engaging "in conduct which brings the judicial office into disrepute" - which could have meant DeLeon's removal from the bench and the loss of his pension.

Stretton had objected to the disrepute charge. The court let stand the remaining three counts: failure to conduct himself in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary; allowing a social relationship to influence his judicial conduct; and failing to accord people legally interested in the case the right to be heard.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed as the result of an August 2005 social event in Center City involving the Romanian community. During the reception, the complaint read, DeLeon was introduced to George Sfedu, a Rittenhouse Square resident who had the honorary post of Romanian consul general to the city. Sfedu said a neighbor, Corley, was having "unwanted verbal contact" with Sfedu's teen daughter.

DeLeon issued the order barring the neighbor from any direct or indirect verbal or physical contact with the girl or her family "except through an attorney."

Corley hired a lawyer who wrote to DeLeon, questioning the order's propriety.

DeLeon then ordered Corley and his attorney to appear before him, at which time the judge signed an order vacating the stay-away order. The judge did not contact either party about the hearing or record the new order vacating the earlier one.

Corley, who runs the French Communications Institute, a language school and translation service, told the court that the more than three-year ordeal was "extremely embarrassing," tarnished his reputation, and damaged his business.

Corley said he was disappointed DeLeon "wasn't tossed off the bench." But, he added, "they sent a very clear message to all judges that this type of behavior won't be tolerated."

Corley told the court he wasn't seeking restitution but had fought the legal battle on principle. "This is how innocent people are in jail," he said.

Stretton mobilized Philadelphia civic leaders, ministers, lawyers, business people and activists to attest to DeLeon's character and to his extensive good works in the community. Former Mayor W. Wilson Goode was among those who submitted letters of support. At least 30 others made the trip to Harrisburg.

Among those testifying were DeLeon's longtime friend J. Whyatt Mondesire, president of the Philadelphia NAACP, and personal injury lawyer Allen Rothenberg.