Posted on 12/26/2003 6:27:11 AM PST by Born Conservative
Judge takes parental rights from Pazuhanich The Monroe County district attorney is accused of fondling an elementary school age girl at a Hilary Duff concert.
Staff and wire reports NEWTON, N.J. - A judge has suspended the parental rights of the Monroe County district attorney, who is accused of fondling an elementary school-age girl at a teen pop concert.
Family Court Judge James Farber issued an emergency order Wednesday preventing Mark Pazuhanich, 47, from having "telephone, written or physical contact" with his daughter, who lives in New Jersey with her mother.
The court order said Pazuhanich's custodial and parenting rights were "suspended until further notice."
Two of Pazuhanich's lawyers, Marshall Anders and Frank Nocito, did not immediately return phone messages left at their offices Thursday by The Associated Press.
Police in early December said Pazuhanich groped a girl while the two were sitting in adjoining seats at a Hilary Duff concert Nov. 29 at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Public Square. Investigators said the assault was witnessed by at least two adults.
Pazuhanich surrendered in Wilkes-Barre last week and was arraigned and released on $10,000 bail. He faces two counts of indecent assault, one count of corrupting the morals of a minor, public drunkenness and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Police said Pazuhanich, who is expected to be sworn in as a Monroe County judge next month, was "acting strange" during the concert. A security guard approached Pazuhanich and told him to sit down. Then Pazuhanich started "nudging and tickling" the girl.
As a condition of his freedom while awaiting trial, Pazuhanich was ordered by District Justice Martin Kane of Wilkes-Barre to have no contact with his alleged victim.
Pazuhanich had checked himself into an alcohol rehabilitation program after the concert. He was in court Wednesday.
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