PA - Ellen Greenberg, 27, Philly teacher’s brutal stabbing, ruled suicide but possible homicide, Jan 2011

[Seattle1]

Former Philadelphia city official settles with Ellen Greenberg's parents in emotional distress case

There are major developments in the long-running case of Philadelphia school teacher Ellen Greenberg.

www.cbsnews.com

2/1/25

On Saturday afternoon, one of those defendants settled with the Greenbergs.

[..]

Lawyers say this is a major step in their pursuit of proving Ellen did not take her own life.

"To us, it means that we've accomplished our role that Ellen did not commit a suicide. Here you have the original pathologist, finally, after 14 years after Ellen's death and five years of litigation acknowledging that her manner of death should not be suicide but should be deemed something else," said Joe Podraza, the Greenberg family's attorney.

The Greenbergs have argued since 2021 that a reexamination of forensic evidence shows Ellen could not have caused some of the wounds — at least one was caused after she had died, according to medical tests contained in court filings.

A city spokesman declined to comment on the development because of the ongoing litigation. Former chief medical examiner Dr. Sam Gulino and a former police detective are still set to go on trial on Monday.

 

[Seattle1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1885887535856906642

 

[ilovewings]

MA makes new ruling in Ellen Greenberg's 'suicide' case

There has been a major update in the case of Ellen Greenberg's 'suicide' death as the medical examiner discovered new information into the case that left the 27-year-old with 20 stab wounds.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Ellen Greenberg case: Major development in family's fight to change manner of death ruling

The legal tide appears to be turning for the family of Philadelphia teacher, Ellen Greenberg, and the decade-plus-long fight to change her manner of death ruling.

6abc.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1885851531116777504

 

[snarast]

Oh, man. Dr. Osbourne has known this from day one. He made the correct finding before! He disgusts me! JMO

I don’t have enough info to place blame - but it is a good thing he has reevaluated the situation and had the courage to let his original voice be heard - again.

I’m pretty Sure the reason he can do so is that he no longer works for PA.

This wasn’t a moment too soon.

I feel for her parents - the way they have never been able to even approach understanding what suddenly befell Ellen. I’m sure they know a lot, and suspect more, but the lack of an investigation must have been horrible.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Older article (2020), but goes into many of the discrepancies at the actual crime scene.
Good refresher......

Parents of teacher found stabbed dead say it was murder, not suicide

Ellen Greenberg, a 27-year-old elementary school teacher, was found dead on January 26, 2011 in the kitchen of her Philadelphia apartment. Her parents are still trying to prove it was murder.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[arielilane]

@6abcAnnie

Breaking Today : The Medical Examiner in Ellen Greenberg’s case says her death was NOT suicide. The legal tide appears to be turning for the Greenberg family in their decade plus long fight to change their daughter’s suicide ruling to homicide or undetermined.

7:40 PM · Feb 1, 2025


On Saturday, a resolution came with one of the defendants, dropping him from the second civil suit about to go before the Supreme Court. That case was filed to compel the city to change Ellen's ruling from suicide to undetermined or murder.


In a bombshell court filing Saturday, Dr. Osbourne stated, "It is my professional opinion Ellen's manner of death should be designated as something other than suicide."

Ellen Greenberg case: Major development in family's fight to change manner of death ruling

The legal tide appears to be turning for the family of Philadelphia teacher, Ellen Greenberg, and the decade-plus-long fight to change her manner of death ruling.

6abc.com

2.1.2025

 

[snarast]

How convenient. Glad for the Greenbergs. Progress. moo

@6abcAnnie

Breaking Today : The Medical Examiner in Ellen Greenberg’s case says her death was NOT suicide. The legal tide appears to be turning for the Greenberg family in their decade plus long fight to change their daughter’s suicide ruling to homicide or undetermined.

View attachment 562202View attachment 562203

7:40 PM · Feb 1, 2025


On Saturday, a resolution came with one of the defendants, dropping him from the second civil suit about to go before the Supreme Court. That case was filed to compel the city to change Ellen's ruling from suicide to undetermined or murder.


In a bombshell court filing Saturday, Dr. Osbourne stated, "It is my professional opinion Ellen's manner of death should be designated as something other than suicide."

Ellen Greenberg case: Major development in family's fight to change manner of death ruling

The legal tide appears to be turning for the family of Philadelphia teacher, Ellen Greenberg, and the decade-plus-long fight to change her manner of death ruling.

6abc.com

2.1.2025

Something other than suicide.

He had it right the first time. We can rule out accident.

 

[Megnut]

Something other than suicide.

He had it right the first time. We can rule out accident.

And natural. And undetermined.

IMO that leaves only one. The obvious.

Homicide.

JMO

 

[ilovewings]

And natural. And undetermined.

IMO that leaves only one. The obvious.

Homicide.

JMO

You just have to wonder how a death case could be botched so extremely badly by everyone
Involved in the investigation----it is mind boggling!!!!

 

[bykerladi]

Now we just need the court to change the death certificate and start a homicide investigation.

 

[vls12345]

I just saw the ruling on this case. I'll go back and start at the beginning this evening - but did want to ask, for those of you who followed the case. Why would the police want to cover up her death? Is a member of LE responsible? TIA

It would seem difficult to believe someone could stab themselves to death in this manner. What in God's name was the ME thinking?

LE didn’t see the extent of her injuries at the scene. They informally concluded suicide. But they hadn’t seen the 10 stabs to the back of her head/neck/back.

After that, it went downhill, starting with a premature professional clean up of the scene.

I have the same question @Knox. I can't believe it was just a mistake of LE on scene thinking suicide. The pathologist has now changed their tune. But there would be others involved in ignoring the reality of what happened, especially with Ellen's parents pushing for truth and justice for years. LE, medical examiners, pathologists, judges, etc.

Why was there a cover up? Why the lies and avoidance of really investigating? Who is wielding that power and why???

 

[snarast]

I have the same question @Knox. I can't believe it was just a mistake of LE on scene thinking suicide. The pathologist has now changed their tune. But there would be others involved in ignoring the reality of what happened, especially with Ellen's parents pushing for truth and justice for years. LE, medical examiners, pathologists, judges, etc.

Why was there a cover up? Why the lies and avoidance of really investigating? Who is wielding that power and why???

We all know why. Right?

And then LE doesn’t like to admit they made a huge mistake by allowing the premature clean up….and additionally, Sam’s relatives shouldn’t have taken Ellen’s personal items without permission.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

I have the same question @Knox. I can't believe it was just a mistake of LE on scene thinking suicide. The pathologist has now changed their tune. But there would be others involved in ignoring the reality of what happened, especially with Ellen's parents pushing for truth and justice for years. LE, medical examiners, pathologists, judges, etc.

Why was there a cover up? Why the lies and avoidance of really investigating? Who is wielding that power and why???

Yes @vls12345 ….. and seems IMO one additional question or observation to include:

And this was for a period over 10 years. Actually over ~13 years. HITH can that be? Hurts to even let that sink in. Hopefully light will shine everywhere, brightly. And maybe some early and often suspicions in this case will come to bear? And perhaps this is a little broader and wider than earlier thought? Hoping that no one and nothing is immune from investigation and ramifications therefrom. MOO

 

[Seattle1]

And just to add to the confusion in this case, and about the laws here, in the state of Pennsylvania, a coroner is typically an elected position, one that does not require a medical degree or medical training.....

While Philadelphia, Delaware, and Allegheny Counties have appointed medical examiners who are certified forensic pathologists, and Northampton and Luzerne Counties have appointed coroners, the remaining 62 counties have elected coroners who must meet only three requirements: They are over 18, have lived in the county for a year, and have taken a basic, 32-hour education course!

“It’s scary when you consider all the counties in Pennsylvania and a very small percentage actually have a coroner or a medical examiner who has medical training,” Podraza said. “That, to me, is the definition of an area of decision that needs to be closely watched.”

Specific to Dr. Marlon Osbourne, per his LinkedIn profile, he completed his residency in Pathology at PA's Hahnemann University Hospital between July 2004- Aug 2008, and served as the assistant Philadelphia Medical Examiner from Sept 2009 - Sept 2014.

Summary: January 26, 2011 - Investigators on the scene treated EG's death as a suicide because the apartment door — which Goldberg said he broke down — was locked from the inside, there were no signs of an intruder, and Greenberg had no defensive wounds, police have said.

But the next morning at the autopsy, then assistant Philadelphia Medical Examiner Marlon Osbourne discovered a total of 20 stab wounds to Greenberg’s body, including 10 to the back of her neck, and ruled her death a homicide.

Police publicly disputed the findings, and Osbourne later on March 7, changed his ruling to suicide, with no explanation to Greenberg’s parents.

The Greenbergs retained numerous forensic experts who have questioned authorities’ findings, as first detailed in a March 2019 Inquirer report.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlon-osbourne-34002394/

 

[Seattle1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1886218763856429355

https://twitter.com/x/status/1886220888745664608

 

[snarast]

I think this is the first time i’m seeing this:

Quoting from pennlive:

To place the specimen into proper context with the injuries found at autopsy, she looked at file photos and found “sharp-force injury … to the bone and ligaments of the back of the spinal column, the vertebral column.” These injuries lined up with damage to the spinal specimen, Emery said, with her exam finding, “a corresponding cut of the dura” that covers the spinal cord. She also found a “1.1-centimeter defect of the vertebral column itself.”

That’s even more impossible than I already thought it was. How could someone inflict a wound that cuts through bone from that angle?

Well. My head hurts.

 

[arielilane]

@BrianEntin

Big development in the Ellen Greenberg case -- after *14 YEARS* the medical examiner says he does not believe Ellen's death was a suicide. Will it ever officially be changed?
What does @GovernorShapiro have to say about this?I'll be in Philly this week.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1886218763856429355

Full Dr. Marlon Osbourne statement here:

I can't believe how hard Ellen's parents have fought. They spent $700,000 of their own money for YEARS fighting the city. If they didn't fight, fight, fight and push this lawsuit along for YEARS they never would have gotten this statement from Dr. Osbourne. WE NEED JUSTICE!



8:11 PM · Feb 2, 2025

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

@BrianEntin

Big development in the Ellen Greenberg case -- after *14 YEARS* the medical examiner says he does not believe Ellen's death was a suicide. Will it ever officially be changed?
What does @GovernorShapiro have to say about this?I'll be in Philly this week.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1886218763856429355

Full Dr. Marlon Osbourne statement here:

View attachment 562376View attachment 562378


I can't believe how hard Ellen's parents have fought. They spent $700,000 of their own money for YEARS fighting the city. If they didn't fight, fight, fight and push this lawsuit along for YEARS they never would have gotten this statement from Dr. Osbourne. WE NEED JUSTICE!



8:11 PM · Feb 2, 2025

Thanks for sharing these additional details @arielilane …..

So IMO key and critical components of this analysis in point #5 in Dr. Osbourne’s 1/31/2025 statement include the following:

Who exactly in the Philadelphia Police Department provided information to Dr. Osbourne from the case file?

What exactly did the Philadelphia Police Department provide to Dr. Osbourne from the case file?

What additional information did the Philadelphia Police Department provide to Dr. Osbourne?

When was the above information provided and by what means? Verbally? In print? Electronic media? Other? Where are those details and documents?

And from that what exactly did the other investigators, prosecutors, and the District Attorney’s office do - or not do?

And put everyone under oath in a deposition when asking any questions here on out. IANAL.

IMO something seems off in this entire case. Extremely off. Almost rancid perhaps? MOO

 

[MassGuy]

Update: a settlement has now been reached between Ellen Greenberg’s family and the City of Philadelphia — it includes the medical examiner agreeing to review the cause of death.

This Ellen Greenberg development is HUGE and just the beginning.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1886457633948737944