Yule Greeting Warmed The Soul At Least

After The Big Day

Sunday, December 28, 2003 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





The Associated Press &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 STROUDSBURG - A senior judge won't swear in Monroe County's top prosecutor,
who is a judge-elect facing indecent assault and related charges, if he shows
up at a ceremony for new officeholders next week, according to a published
report. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Monroe County President Judge Ronald Vican decided that District Attorney
Mark Pazuhanich should not be sworn in as a judge until the charges against
him in Luzerne County are resolved, Monroe County Prothonotary George Warden
told The Morning Call of Allentown for Saturday editions. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pazuhanich, 47, is charged with fondling an elementary school-age girl at a
teen pop concert on Nov. 29 at the Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre. He could ask
a district justice to swear him in, a state court official said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``There's a very broad-based group of folks who can swear you into
office,'' said Art Hines, a spokesman for the Administrative Office of the
Pennsylvania Courts. ``I know district justices are included in there. I think
notaries as well.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Prior to the alleged incident that prompted the charges, Pazuhanich had
asked to be sworn in at a separate ceremony on Wednesday. That event has been
canceled, Warden said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pazuhanich's lawyer, Marshall Anders of Stroudsburg, has said his client is
innocent and plans to take his seat on the Monroe County bench. Pazuhanich was
elected in November to a newly created sixth judgeship in the county. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Police said Pazuhanich groped the girl while the two were sitting in
adjoining seats at a Hilary Duff concert. At least two adults reported
witnessing the alleged assault, according to investigators. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pazuhanich, who was also cited with drunkenness at the concert, entered an
alcohol rehabilitation center on Dec. 3 and has not been available for
comment, Anders has said. A preliminary hearing on the criminal charges has
been postponed until Jan. 22. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Also this week, a judge in New Jersey suspended Pazuhanich's parental
visitation rights with his daughter, who lives with her mother in that state.
Under the order, Pazuhanich is not allowed to have any contact with the child. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pazuhanich, who is free on $10,000 unsecured bail, is charged with indecent
assault, endangering the welfare of children, public drunkenness and
corruption of minors, all misdemeanors. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Judge Cans Pazuhanich Swearing-in The Monroe County Prosecutor And Judge-elect Is Charged With Fondling A Girl At A Concert In Wilkes-barre.