Update for 5/19/13: A new order dated 5/15/13 from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals which is very hostile to Ellen Mariani and her attorney, Bruce Leichty

The Second Circuit Federal Court of Appeals issued a ruling dated 5/15/13 (click here to read it)  which is very hostile to Ellen Mariani and her attorney Bruce Leichty.  The order harshly castigated them and imposed financial sanctions against both of them for allegedly filing frivolous briefs and for allegedly offending the court and being “anti-Semitic” by pointing out certain improper connections between Judge Hellerstein (who is Jewish and who is actively involved in the Jewish community) and several Israeli defendants in the case.  (Judge Hellerstein’s son, Joseph Hellerstein, is an attorney who worked at a law firm which had connections to Israeli defendants in Ellen’s case.)  (These issues are detailed in Ellen Mariani’s 4/19/12 filings with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.)  The 5/15/13 order (at the end of it) also threatens Bruce and Ellen with even greater sanctions if they dare to raise these issues again.

The order did not mention the fact that Bruce only alleged that there was an appearance of a conflict of interest, not that Judge Hellerstein actually was biased.  (An appearance of a conflict of interest should be enough for a judge to recuse himself.)  The order also did not mention a very important issue that Bruce was trying to raise in his briefs, that attorney John Ransmeier, who was and is the fiduciary of Louis Neil Mariani’s Estate, was representing the insurance companies who were going to have to pay out to Ellen and her step daughter Lauren Peters at the same time that he was purporting to be a “neutral administrator” on behalf of Ellen and Lauren Peters.  That is an enormous and fundamental conflict of interest on the part of Ransmeier.  For the 5/15/13 order to fail to even mention this while it accuses Bruce Leichty of filing frivolous appeals and of bad faith speaks volumes about the lack of impartiality of that panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Remember, every single 9/11 case, about 100 in total (the cases which refused to take the hush money and demanded a trial instead after a relative died in the 9/11 attacks) has been shut out of the courts and prevented from coming to trial.  Ellen Mariani was still fighting to find justice and answers through the courts (as opposed to a payout and no answers as to what happened), and the court is doing all it can to slam the door on this case as well.

Additionally, John Ransmeier has filed a motion to remove Bruce as Ellen’s attorney, which would probably be disastrous for Ellen’s case if it succeeds.

Also, there has been a spate of negative articles in the mainstream media in April and May of 2013 (they can be read at the Articles About Ellen’s Case page).  However, in the alternative media Martin Hill wrote a nice and favorable article dated 5/21/13.  Click here to read it.  Also, Christopher Bollyn has written a nice article on this issue dated 5/22/13.

So Bruce and Ellen are being attacked on several fronts at once.

The above comments are from me, Vincent Gillespie, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Ellen Mariani Legal Defense Fund.

I know that Bruce Leichty also has many things that he would like to say in response to the 5/15/13 order.  However, it is my understanding that an attorney is not allowed to make any public comments regarding an order like this while any further proceedings relating to that order are possible.  I understand that Bruce and Ellen are planning to file a petition for rehearing en banc (meaning by a full panel of justices, instead of just the two that heard his prior appeal) with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  When that gets filed we will be able to read other points explaining why the 5/15/13 decision is improper and wrong.

Update for 2/19/13: Ellen Mariani’s petition for writ of certiorari to the US Supreme Court has been denied

2/19/2013 — The Ellen Mariani Legal Defense Fund has been informed by Bruce Leichty, Ellen Mariani’s attorney, that the Supreme Court has denied the petition of Ellen Mariani as of 2/19/2013.  No explanation has been received to date, nor would it be customary for any explanation to be provided.   The docket entry shows that Justice Alito did not take part in the consideration of the petition, meaning that Justice Sotomayor apparently did take part, despite Mrs. Mariani’s disclosure that Justice Sotomayor had been part of a panel at the 2nd Circuit sitting on a motion relating to the case.

As of this time, there has still been no ruling from the Second Circuit on whether sanctions will be imposed on Mrs. Mariani and Mr. Leichty.

Mrs. Mariani and Mr. Leichty convey their sincere thanks to the Committee members and particularly Vincent Gillespie, Secretary-Treasurer, for their support, without which this attempt could not have been made.  We are extremely gratified by the many expressions of support, both financially and otherwise, we received from backers of the Legal Defense Fund.

The cause of 9/11 truth continues, despite this significant setback.   May the groundswell increase in other ways.  Please keep Mrs. Mariani in your thoughts as she and her attorney now must face what will be acrimonious personal attacks and an assault on Mrs. Mariani’s recovery rights in New Hampshire probate court.

-Vincent Gillespie, Secretary-Treasurer of the Ellen Mariani Legal Defense Fund

Nice article by Jerry Mazza about Ellen’s case and the US Supreme Court’s refusal to hear her appeal

Click here to read it.

Update for 1/21/12: The Reply Brief

On 11/23/12 attorney Bruce Leichty filed Ellen Mariani’s Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the US Supreme Court.  (Click here to read it.)  We subsequently decided that a Reply Brief should be filed on behalf of Ellen Mariani.  That Reply Brief was filed on 1/8/13 and it is now available for viewing.  (Click here to read it.)

Initial fund-raising efforts of the Committee were devoted to raising sufficient funds toward the attorney’s fees and costs of the filing of the Petition ($13,629 raised, on a goal of $11,000).   Attorneys for John Ransmeier then filed an optional Opposition Brief.  (Click here to read it.)  The Ellen Mariani Legal Defense Fund, and Ellen Mariani and Bruce Leichty, extend sincere thanks to two new donors who very generously contributed to make the filing of a Reply Brief possible, J. O. of Australia and E. W. of Canada.   (There was also a smaller donation from another source.)  The goal of the Committee for the Reply Brief, at the request of Bruce Leichty, was to raise $2,500 to cover costs and some attorney’s fees, and that goal was met.

The Supreme Court’s docket for Ellen’s case (click here to view) indicates that the briefs have been distributed to the justices and that they will have a conference on 2/15/13.  Now we wait for them to make a decision.  (Note: the fact that the justices will be discussing Ellen’s case at a conference does not imply anything about the likelihood of the petition being granted.)

Articles discussing Ellen’s case

A number of informative articles about Ellen’s case can be read on our “Articles about Ellen’s case” page (click here).

Update 11/4/12: The funds required to proceed with the appeal have been successfully collected in time

The Ellen Mariani Legal Defense Fund Committee is pleased to report good news.  We have collected the needed funds in time to allow Ellen Mariani to file a petition to the United States Supreme Court, for review of the decision denying her a role in what was originally her own 9/11 complaint.  Ellen’s attorney Bruce Leichty has already started preparing the petition.  The filing deadline is 11/23/2012.  The Supreme Court has created a docket page on the Court’s website, so that people can follow the course of the petition if they wish.  For a personal statement of the secretary-treasurer of the Fund, Vincent Gillespie, click here.

Ellen Mariani wants to take her appeal regarding 911 to the US Supreme Court but she needs our help (a one page summary of our cause)

CLICK HERE FOR A ONE PAGE SUMMARY OF OUR CAUSE.

Contribution Deadline Extended to November 1, 2012

Update for 9/17/12:  SOME GOOD NEWS:  Although we were not able to raise the $11,000 which was needed for Ellen Mariani to appeal her case to the US Supreme Court by our previous deadline to collect the funds (9/11/12), Ellen Mariani’s attorney, Bruce Leichty, applied for and received an extension of time to file the appeal, with a new filing date of 11/23/12.  Therefore, we can continue our efforts to raise the money up until 11/1/12.  If we can raise the $11,000 by 11/1/12 Ellen Mariani will be appealing to the US Supreme Court.  Hopefully this will happen!  (Remember that even if we are ultimately not able to appeal to the US Supreme Court Ellen still needs money and any donated funds will be put to good use because she will still be facing significant additional litigation in New Hampshire state court.)

Also, we want to give a big THANK YOU to all the generous people who have donated so far.  Ellen and Bruce and the rest of us appreciate your help.