Orie's Attorney 'Disappointed' With Verdict
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - State Sen. Jane Orie has been convicted in a public corruption trial that took days to argue and several days to decide.
On Tuesday, KDKA-TV's Jon Delano spoke with Sen. Orie's attorney about what comes next.
Orie was convicted of 14 felony counts of theft of services, conflict of interest, forgery and tampering with evidence.
It is a conviction that will cost Orie her job, her pension and most likely, her freedom.
Delano spoke with Orie's attorney William Costopoulos, who has since returned to Harrisburg.
Costopoulos told Delano the conviction was a great disappointment, but he does not question the jury's right to make a decision.
However, he said that he expects an appeal to the Superior Court, even though such appeals are challenging.
Costopoulos said that Orie would be expected to resign her position on May 21, when she gets sentenced.
He also said that he hopes that Judge Jeffrey Manning would consider home confinement rather than prison because Orie is not a risk to anyone.
Delano also asked Costopoulos how Orie took the jury's verdict last night.
"Sen. Jane Orie is a woman of very strong faith because I've wondered from day one how she's been able to deal with this life's card that she's been dealt. And its not just yesterday, but it's been for two years. She has looked to her faith for strength and that's where she was reaching out to yesterday," Costopoulos said.
Costopoulos said that many years from now people will question why public servants like Orie were subjected to these kinds of charges.
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