A convicted state Supreme Court justice in Pennsylvania has been ordered as part of her punishment to send a photo of herself wearing handcuffs to every judge in the state.

Joan Orie Melvin was found guilty of six counts of corruption—including theft of services, criminal conspiracy, and misappropriation of state property—for using government employees to work on her 2003 and 2009 campaigns for Supreme Court justice, an elected position in Pennsylvania.

Melvin became just the second Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice to be convicted in almost three centuries.

Her wrongdoing infuriated Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Lester Nauhaus, who ordered Melvin to pose before a photographer, in handcuffs, and send the image, along with a written apology, to all 500 members of Pennsylvania’s judiciary “who have been tarnished by your behavior,” he said.

In addition, Melvin will be confined to house arrest for three years. She also received two years of probation, and must spend three days a week working at a soup kitchen.

Outraged as he was, Judge Nauhaus discounted a request from assistant district attorney Lawrence Claus to send Melvin to prison.

“I have always believed prison is for dangerous people,” he said. “I also believe putting you in prison is going to cost the taxpayers a fortune.”

As Matt Bewig of AllGov wrote at the time of her conviction, “Although the theft of services charges carry up to seven years in prison each, Melvin’s clean record, and the fact she is white, wealthy, and from a prominent political family, means she is likely to receive little or no prison time.”

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Orie Melvin, Sister Guilty of Corruption, Put On House Arrest (by Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Two State Supreme Court Judges Convicted of Felonies (by Matt Bewig, AllGov)