Ex-Pennsylvania AG loses bid to delay jail term

This story has been updated. 

Former Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane on Wednesday lost an eleventh-hour request to be given more time before she must report to jail and begin serving a 10- to 23-month perjury and obstruction sentence.

A county judge moved quickly, turning down Kane’s motion about an hour after it was filed. Kane had sought a hearing or conference, saying a “brief extension” would help her nail down arrangements for her high-school age sons.

The judge’s denial repeated her direction issued a day earlier, telling Kane to report by 9 a.m. Thursday to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

Kane’s lawyer, William Brennan, said he was aware of the judge’s order but offered no immediate reaction.

Kane was serving as the first woman and first Democrat to be elected attorney general in Pennsylvania history when she was convicted in 2016 of leaking grand jury material and lying about it. She resigned after being convicted.

She has remained free since then on $75,000 bail, pending appeals, but on Monday the state Supreme Court declined to take up her case. On Tuesday, Montgomery County Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy granted prosecutors’ request to revoke her bail.

Kane, 52, argued in seeking the delay that she has primary custody of her 16- and 17-year-old sons. She said the additional time would allow her to “solidify” arrangements with her ex-husband and family. She lives in Scranton.

“Her ex-husband supports this motion and will provide information through proffer or testimony should the court deem necessary,” Brennan wrote in the motion directed to Demchick-Alloy.

In her Tuesday order, Demchick-Alloy said there was no longer any reason for Kane to remain free. Brennan had asked that that order be put on hold while the judge considered whether to grant Kane more time.

Brennan said in an interview earlier Wednesday that Kane did not know when “the other shoe was going to drop.”

He said Kane could ask the high court to reconsider its decision but that was not likely.

“This is a human problem more than a legal issue,” Brennan said, adding “she’s prepared to put this matter behind her and move on with her life.”

A spokeswoman for the Montgomery County district attorney’s office declined comment.

An earlier story appears below. 

(Norristown) — A county judge is rejecting former Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s 11th hour request to delay her deadline of Thursday morning to report to jail and begin serving a sentence for perjury.

Montgomery County Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy moved quickly Wednesday, denying Kane’s request for a delay shortly after it was filed.

Kane had asked for a “brief extension” so she could nail down arrangements for her two teenage sons.

The 52-year-old Scranton Democrat resigned in 2016 after being convicted of perjury, obstruction and other charges for leaking grand jury information and lying about it.

She’s been out on $75,000 bail pending appeals, but Monday the state Supreme Court declined to take up her case.

She’s due to report to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility by 9 a.m. Thursday.

An earlier story appears below. 

Former Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane wants more time before reporting to jail to serve a sentence in a perjury case so she can make arrangements for her teenage sons.

A judge ordered her to report by 9 a.m. Thursday after the state Supreme Court earlier this week declined to hear her appeal of the 2016 conviction.

Lawyer William Brennan says the divorced Kane has primary custody of her 16- and 17-year-old sons. A motion filed Wednesday asks for “a brief extension” for Kane to start serving the 10- to 23-month sentence.

The 52-year-old Democrat from Scranton has been out on $75,000 bail since being convicted of leaking grand jury information and lying about it.

The trial judge says there’s no longer any reason for Kane to remain free.