Judge Riga betrayed those she was serving
Post-Tribune (IN)
July 16, 2008
Judges generally are the ones who impose sentences. That's why it was so significant a week ago when former Schererville town Judge Deborah Riga was the one being sentenced.
Despite her guilt, defense attorney Nick Thiros almost painted Riga as a victim as he asked the judge for leniency. We don't blame Thiros, who is a wise attorney, but we don't want the people to get the wrong impression.
"I remember the day she was sworn in, and it was a very proud day in everybody's life," Thiros said. "And before you know it, all these political hacks were involved."
Riga pleaded guilty to extortion and fraud for funneling fees from defendants she sentenced to a driving school she secretly owned and to demanding kickbacks from a counseling firm that worked with her court.
Despite what Thiros suggested about the influence of the conniving political community in Lake County, Riga clearly was a willing participant.
For the record, U.S. District Judge Philip Simon sentenced Riga to five months in prison, five months of home detention and five months of supervised release. That is not a heavy sentence, and that likely is attributable to the fact Riga testified for the government against political operative Robert Cantrell.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Orest Szewciw asked for a stiffer sentence, saying, "How can any citizen who ever appeared before her ever believe justice was dispensed impartially when the judge had a financial interest" in a defendant's sentence?
While we agree with Szewciw, we understand Simon's sentence, given Riga's cooperation.
We also feel judges, like Riga, should be held to a higher standard. If there is a corrupt judiciary, our system of justice is broken.
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