Jury will decide, court rules

State Sen. Jane Orie (R-Allegheny) was unsuccessful in trying to get charges against her dismissed Monday.

Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey A. Manning said a jury will have to decide her fate.

State Sen. Jane Orie (R-Allegheny)

The Allegheny County judge rejected the senator’s claim that state conflict-of-interest laws are unconstitutionally vague and charges against her should be dropped.

“There is a clear line created in the statute and it is the line between using state resources, including employees, for state related purposes and using those resources to provide a financial benefit to the office holder or a member of their immediate family,” Judge Manning wrote in his opinion.

“It will be for a jury to determine whether the evidence shows that the line was crossed,” he wrote.

Ms. Orie and her sister, Janine Orie, are charged with using taxpayer-funded senate staff, materials and equipment for the election campaigns of the senator and a third sister, state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie-Melvin.

Judge Joan Orie-Melvin

Janine Orie is a member of Justice Orie-Melvin’s staff.

Justice Orie-Melvin was not indicted by the Allegheny County grand jury that charged her sisters, but is currently under investigation by another county grand jury.

Jury selection for the case is scheduled to begin Feb. 7.