Lisa Richette

Lisa Aversa Richette (September 11, 1928 – October 26, 2007) was a Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas judge. She was appointed to the bench in 1971. Richette was a graduate of the Philadelphia High School for Girls. She previously served as a Philadelphia assistant district attorney.

Noted for her outspokenness, she was a social activist particularly in the areas of homelessness, child welfare and juvenile justice. She was the author of the 1969 book on the juvenile justice system, "The Throwaway Children".

Richette founded the Child Abuse Prevention Effort (CAPE) in 1973. She taught at Yale University and Villanova University. In 1984, she won the Pearl S. Buck International Award.

Richette has made local headlines on several occasions after separate attack incidents. The first happened when she was mugged in 1987, while "scores of people watched without helping her"cite news |title=Judge Attacked In Center City |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE5DF1E3BF931A25751C0A961948260 |work=The New York Times |date=February 12, 1987 |accessdate=2007-08-28 ] , and the second was in 2006, when she was punched while waiting for her son to rent a video.cite news |title=2 Charged in Mugging A Philadelphia Judge |url=http://www.nbc10.com/news/9690718/detail.html |work=NBC10.com |date=August 16, 2006 |accessdate=2007-08-28 ]

The most recent attack was allegedly by her son, Lawrence, who in 2007 was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, and reckless endangerment in connection with a domestic dispute that occurred on August 21, 2007.cite news |title=Phila. Judge Lisa Richette's Son Charged with Assaulting Her; Later, He Flashes Reporter |url=http://www.kyw1060.com/pages/842409.php?contentType=4&contentId=826971 |work=KYW-AM 1060 Newsradio |date=August 22, 2007 |accessdate=2007-08-28 ]

She died of lung cancer at the Vitas Hospice in St Agnes' Continuing Care Center in South Philadelphia, aged 79. [cite journal | last=Caparella | first=Kitty |title=Prominent judge, civic giant Lisa Richette dead at 79 |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20071029_Prominent_judge__civic_giant.html |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=October 29, 2007 |format=dead link|date=June 2008 – ^{[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3A+intitle%3AProminent+judge%2C+civic+giant+Lisa+Richette+dead+at+79&as_publication=&as_ylo=&as_yhi=&btnG=Search Scholar search]} ]

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