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I want to give readers an update on the Vladek Filler case, though I have to say from the outset that I am more than just a little bit pissed off. I am, in fact, angry enough to put my fist through sheetrock a few times.
For anyone not familiar with the case, please go to fillerfund.com for background.
Several weeks ago Vladek Filler filed two separate motions in the case involving his conviction for assault of his former wife, Ligia Filler. One motion was for a stay of his 21 day jail sentence so that he could complete medical treatments prescribed by his physician after an automobile accident. The other motion was to have the court recognize his new attorney of record.
The court sat on those motions for several weeks, taking no action on them whatsoever. Then on Monday, two days before Filler was scheduled to be incarcerated he was told by the court that they would not rule on either motion until they had original written notice of his previous attorney’s recusal, delivered to the court, along with other unexpected documentation. In other words, they sat on the rulings till the last minute, forcing Filler to scramble to make compliance.
Filler complied with the court, delivering those materials in person today. The court almost immediately ruled against his motion for a stay, and then decided to refuse to rule on his request to recognize his new counsel. No reason or explanation were given; just not going to make a decision that would recognize Filler’s attorney and allow him to act in Filler’s behalf. Just a few hours later Vladek was taken into custody and jailed.
Let’s be more clear about what happened. First, it was not “the court” that made these rulings. It was Judge Robert E. Murray, the same judge that sentenced Vladek Filler to 21 days of jail for pushing his wife, resulting in a magical bruise on her arm. The bruise was magical because it was not found after the alleged incident during an examination by a medical doctor, but rather appeared in a photo taken four days later by police.
By intent today, Judge Murray sent Vladek Filler to jail while simultaneously denying him legal representation. It is certain that Murray knows that Filler is scheduled to give key testimony in the disbarment hearing of Mary Kellett four days from now. And he knows that he has denied Filler needed prep time with his attorney to prepare for that hearing. Additionally, he knows that there is now effectively no one to monitor Filler’s treatment while he is incarcerated in Mary Kellett’s jail on the eve of testifying against her.
As usual, the local media is looking the other way and whistling.
I will give them one thing in Ellsworth, Maine. You are better off not to upset the powers that be there. Because if you do, even as an innocent man who beat a trumped up rape charge and managed to put a corrupt prosecutor in front of the bar, you better watch out. Carletta Bossano, Mary Kellett, Paul Cavenaugh and Judge Robert Murray will come around with some fucking law and order you won’t soon forget.
The only silver lining here is that these petty tyrants are not the only ones with long memories.
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