‘This is how innocent people are in jail’

Philadelphia, PA–Those were the words of one Lee Corley who had a restraining order issued against him by Philadelphia Judge James A. DeLeon (pictured) based on nothing but the say-so of the judge’s friend.  Read about it here. And what was it that Corley had done that was so outrageous it required restraining his liberty?  He talked to a girl.  Apparently this act was “unwanted,” so her dad got his friend DeLeon to issue a “stay-away” order.
In this rare instance, the judge got busted, but how often does that happen?  Restraining orders based on little or nothing other than ex parte testimony (i.e. without the other party being present to contest it) are as common as dirt and not infrequently untrue.  So it’s good that this judge at least got a tap on the wrist.  (He’s suspended, but still keeps his job.)  But Lee Corley’s words are the real story here.