Asbestos News Briefs

Judge Accused of Extortion in Asbestos Cases Pleads Guilty

A Judge accused of trying to extort money from an attorney bringing asbestos cases before him in Pittsburgh has pled guilty to charges that could land him in federal prison for more than three years.

Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Joseph A. Jaffe reportedly wept as entered his guilty plea and told U.S. District Court Judge Donetta Ambrose that he was suffering from severe depression.

Jaffe is accused of accepting $13,000 from Pittsburgh plaintiffs' attorney Joel Persky in exchange for Persky's unfettered access concerning more than 1,000 asbestos …