As a parent of 27 years old Ellen GreenbergSam Goldberg, the fiancée of Mr. Greenberg, the Philadelphia teacher who was found in 2011 with 20 stab wounds and bruises all over his body, ruled a suicide, moved forward this week in a high-stakes legal battle. spoke publicly about her death for the first time.
Greenberg's parents, Dr. Josh and Sandy Greenberg, have been embroiled in a legal battle with the government since their daughter's death, challenging the ruling that her death was a suicide. They have filed two lawsuits, one accusing local authorities and the coroner's office of concealing their daughter's death, and the other seeking to change the word “suicide” on their daughter's death certificate. It is said that In “Murder” or “undecided”.
Oral arguments in their civil case were held Wednesday in a Philadelphia City Hall courtroom. It was the first time the Greenbergs sat in court and heard arguments in their daughter's case.
“We are moving closer to justice for Ellen,” Sandy said in a statement to FOX News Digital. “We are very determined and will never give up.”
Prosecutor Ellen Greenberg says 20 stab wounds don't prove 'suicide'
Ellen Greenberg and Sam Goldberg (Greenberg family)
Greenberg's parents do not believe her death was a suicide, and forensic pathologists, crime scene experts, former law enforcement officers and attorneys have expressed similar opinions over the years.
However, her fiancé seems to believe otherwise.
“When Ellen took her own life, I was confused. She was a wonderful, kind person who had everything to live for. When she died, a part of me died with her. .” Goldberg told CNN. In his first public statement regarding Greenberg's death, he said:
“Inconceivably, over the past few years, I have been involved in the unimaginable event of my future wife's death, and in order to avoid it, I have created a story filled with lies, distortions, and falsehoods that have violated my reputation and my privacy. The truth is, mental illness is very real and takes a toll.”
“Like me, I hope and pray that you will never lose a loved one to a terrible disease and be blamed for her death by ignorant and misinformed people. If you're writing a story, go deeper and write it.'' Raising mental health awareness can be a good thing. ”
Judge involved with Ellen Greenberg's fiance takes items from her 'suicide' scene before police raid
Ellen Greenberg and Sam Goldberg (Greenberg family)
On January 6, 2011, the bride was found in the kitchen during a snowstorm with 20 stab wounds and a knife stuck in her chest, with a half-cooked fruit salad lying on the table.
After Greenberg's death, Goldberg said he returned from the gym, broke down the door and discovered Greenberg's body in an apartment complex in Manayunk, a quiet Philadelphia neighborhood.
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Dr. Marlon Osborn, a forensic pathologist with the city medical examiner's office, initially ruled Greenberg's death a homicide, according to court documents. After meeting with police behind closed doors, they changed their tune and officially ruled it a suicide.
Court documents say Greenberg's stab wounds included 10 in the back, at least one of which may have been inflicted after she was already dead.
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Outside investigators said damage shown to the lock on Greenberg's apartment door contradicted reports that entry had been kicked in from the outside. (Tom Brennan)
Greenberg's parents did not respond to Goldberg's statement. However, they had previously described what Eren likely experienced leading up to his death.
“My daughter was being abused,” her father, Josh Greenberg, previously told Fox News Digital. “Her body had injuries consistent with abuse.”
The autopsy report said Ms. Greenberg was covered in bruises in various stages of healing, suggesting she had been bruised over an extended period of time.
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Ellen Greenberg, a 27-year-old Philadelphia teacher, died in 2011, but her death was ruled a suicide after she was found with 20 stab wounds and bruises all over her body. (Ellen Greenberg's family)
Greenberg's parents also said that shortly before Greenberg died, their daughter wanted to leave the apartment she shared with Goldberg and return to her home in Harrisburg, and later told psychiatrist Dr. Ellen Berman. He added that this is how he diagnosed his 27-year-old daughter. anxiety. Berman also noted that Greenberg had no suicidal thoughts or thoughts.
Renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht, who conducted an independent review of the autopsy, found the evidence was “very highly suspicious of murder.”
Vecht, who died in maypreviously told FOX News Digital that after examining the forensic evidence, he believed it was “very, very unlikely” that Greenberg died by suicide.
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Greenberg's parents and outside investigators have repeatedly raised concerns that police botched the response to her death and opened the scene to the public too soon. They also question why Mr. Goldberg's uncle, James Schwartzman, was allowed to remove so many items from the scene.
“Things were taken from the crime scene without our permission. When Jim Schwartzman took computers, electronic devices, and my daughter's purse, the chain of custody was broken from the beginning,” Greenberg's father previously said. He told FOX News Digital.
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Mr. Schwartzman's attorney, a Pennsylvania judge, responded to these claims on his behalf by authorizing police to enter Mr. Schwartzman and remove Mr. Greenberg's belongings, according to Fox News Digital. told. He denied taking her purse but admitted taking her computer and cell phone.
Neither Mr. Goldberg nor Mr. Schwartzman have been charged with any wrongdoing in connection with Mr. Greenberg's death.
'Suicide' verdict for teacher's 20 stab wounds could be reconsidered as family secures potential big victory
Ellen Greenberg and her parents Dr. Josh and Sandy Greenberg (Greenberg family)
The Chester County District Attorney's Office announced last month that after prosecutors conducted their own investigation, they were “unable to proceed with criminal charges at this time.” They moved Greenberg's case to “inactive” status in Chester County, but left it open for review if new information becomes available.
In September, Pennsylvania Supreme Court He agreed to hear arguments from the Greenbergs and their attorneys.
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“The Supreme Court will decide whether Sandy and I qualify. And that's a really big deal…I mean, no one has ever gotten this far….It took almost 14 years. “I know that, but it's still a very important issue. It's an important case,” Dr. Greenberg previously told FOX News Digital.
philadelphia police Fox News Digital did not immediately respond to a request for comment. They previously declined to discuss the case, citing a public investigation and ongoing civil litigation in Chester County. Goldberg did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
FOX News' Michael Lewis contributed to this report.
