Parents 27 years old Ellen GreenbergA Philadelphia teacher whose 2011 death was ruled a suicide after she was found with nearly two dozen stab wounds and covered in bruises appeared in court last week, where a judge told them the city's suicide announcement was “baffling.”
Greenberg was found in her kitchen with 20 stab wounds and a knife in her chest with half-prepared fruit salad on the countertop during a snowstorm on January 6, 2011. Her parents, Dr. Josh and Sandy Greenberg, were involved in a legal case. Battles with the government since their daughter's death, fighting the insistence that it was a suicide.
Oral arguments were heard Dec. 11 in a Philadelphia courtroom as part of a 2022 lawsuit filed by the Greenberg family that accuses local officials and the medical examiner's office of covering up their daughter's death and participating in a “hidden conspiracy for the purpose of murder.” Camouflage Ellen's murder “As a suicide,” according to legal documents. This was the first time the Greenbergs sat in a courtroom and heard arguments in their daughter's case.
“I feel like we're defending her,” Sandy said in a statement to Fox News Digital after the hearing. “We are close to getting justice for Elaine. We are very determined and will not give up.”
A teacher's fiancée was found with 20 stab wounds indicating what led to her “suicide”
Ellen Greenberg with her parents Dr. Josh and Sandy Greenberg (Greenberg family)
At the time of her death, Greenberg sent out notices to save the date for her wedding with Sam Goldberg, who said he came home from the gym, broke down the door and found his fiancée's body in their shared apartment in Manayunk, a quiet neighborhood in Philadelphia.
In the hour before Goldberg called 911, he sent Greenberg a series of strange calls, emails and text messages, according to court records.
Between 5:32 p.m. and 5:54 p.m., the last nine text messages Goldberg sent to Greenberg included: “Hey,” “Open the door,” “What are you doing,” “I’m feeling angry,” “Hey,” “It’s better To do that.” “You have an excuse,” “What the hell,” “Uh-huh,” and “You have no idea.”
Goldberg called 911 at 6:33 p.m., and paramedics pronounced Greenberg dead shortly afterward.
Ellen Greenberg's prosecutors say they can't prove 'suicide' by 20 stab wounds
Ellen Greenberg, left, in an undated family photo, with her fiancé, Sam Goldberg. (Greenberg family)
Outside investigators said damage to the lock on Greenberg's apartment door was inconsistent with the report that it had been kicked in from the outside. (Tom Brennan)
The forensic pathologist in the city medical examiner's office at the time, Dr. Marlon Osborne, initially ruled Greenberg's death a homicide, according to court documents. He then reversed course after meeting with police behind closed doors and it was officially ruled a suicide.
The Greenbergs have argued so Officials involved in their daughter's case He “blatantly botched the investigation” and conspired to cover it up as a result. The Greenbergs also accused them of intentionally causing emotional distress to the couple.
“I don't think anyone disagrees with me Crime scene “It should have been handled differently,” Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Erdos said during the Dec. 11 hearing, Greenberg family attorney Joe Podraza confirmed with Fox News Digital. “The fact that the death certificate still lists the cause of death as suicide is puzzling.”
Ellen Greenberg served as a teacher. (Ellen Greenberg's family)
Greenberg's family and outside investigators questioned why authorities allowed the crime scene to be professionally cleaned and disinfected before investigators arrived with a search warrant, according to court records.
“Just as Dr. Osborne was performing the autopsy…and ultimately concluding that Ellen's death was a homicide, the building in which Ellen was killed was completely cleaned out,” the documents say.
The Greenberg family has also wondered why Goldberg's uncle, James Schwartzman, a prominent Pennsylvania judge, He was allowed into the apartment A number of Elaine's belongings were removed, including her computer and mobile phone.
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During last week's hearing, Erdos dismissed one of the defendants in the lawsuit against the city officials involved but declined to rule on the other four defendants. Erdos asked Podraza to submit briefs explaining how he intends to show the jury that the remaining defendants directly and intentionally, not just recklessly, caused emotional distress to the Greenberg family.
“It's a steep climb but it's not an impossible climb. … You have a fighting chance,” Erdos said during the hearing, referring to the Greenberg family's lawsuit.
The defendant who was dismissed is Lindsey Emery, a former pathologist with the Medical Examiner's Office in Philadelphia who in 2019 was asked to examine part of Greenberg's preserved spine. The four other defendants named in the suit include Osborne, the former city pathologist who performed Greenberg's autopsy; former Chief Medical Examiner Sam Golino; Retired Homicide Sgt. Tim Cooney; And the homicide department. John McNamee.
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Over the years, forensic scientists, crime scene experts, former law enforcement officials and attorneys have expressed doubts about Greenberg's suicide ruling. Recently, Goldberg broke his silence about his bride's death, and he seems to think otherwise.
“When Ellen took her own life, she left me confused,” Goldberg told CNN in his first public statement. “She was a wonderful, kind person who had everything to live for. And when she died, a part of me died with her.” Greenberg's death.
“Inconceivably, in the years that have passed, I have had to endure the unimaginable death of my future wife, and the pathetic and despicable attempts to desecrate my reputation and her privacy by creating a narrative that embraces lies, distortions and falsehoods in order to avoid the truth that mental illness is very real and has many victims. ”
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Ellen Greenberg, left, in an undated family photo. (Greenberg family)
Greenberg's 20 stab wounds included 10 from behind, at least one of which could have been inflicted after her death, according to court documents. She was also found covered in bruises in various stages of healing, meaning she received them over some time, according to the autopsy report.
“My daughter was abused,” her father said He previously told Fox News Digital. “She had injuries to her body consistent with abuse.”
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Dr. Cyril Wecht, a renowned forensic scientist who conducted an independent review of the autopsy, found that the evidence “raises strong suspicion of murder.”
Wecht, who He died in MayHe previously told Fox News Digital that after looking at the forensic evidence, he believed the idea that Greenberg could have died by suicide was “highly improbable.”
Greenberg's parents previously said that while her psychiatrist, Dr. Ellen Berman, diagnosed the 27-year-old with anxiety before her death, the psychiatrist also noted that Greenberg did not have suicidal thoughts or feelings.
The knife found piercing the chest of 27-year-old Philadelphia teacher Ellen Greenberg was not fingerprinted, according to an attorney for her parents, who are suing officials over the alleged cover-up. (Fox News)
In addition to the recent lawsuit, Greenberg's family previously filed another active lawsuit in 2019, aiming to replace the “suicide” designation on her death certificate with “homicide” or “unspecified.” This case is pending before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Philadelphia Police It did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. They had previously refused to discuss the case. Goldberg did not immediately respond for comment.
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Former representative of Schwartzman Respond to claims He removed items from the scene on his behalf, telling Fox News Digital that police gave Schwartzman permission to enter and take Greenberg's belongings, confirming that he removed her computers and cell phones.
Fox News' Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
