SAVE: Tell Judge Robert E. Murray to Vacate the Conviction of Persecuted Single Father Vladek Filler

Today, we're asking you to intervene on behalf of a young father in Maine. Judge Robert E. Murray convicted Vladek Filler and gave him a sentence of 21 days in jail for allegedly pushing his wife Ligia Filler in April 2007. The problem is that the conviction and harsh sentence follow five years, two criminal trials and appeals involving prosecutorial misconduct by Asst. District Attorney Mary E. Kellett.

The charges stem from Filler's child custody dispute, and range from spousal rape to splashing water on his then-wife. The 1st trial court and Maine Supreme Court found prosecutor Mary N. Kellett had engaged in misconduct. The divorce court granted Filler sole custody of his children, found his wife made false allegations and was a violent child abuser.

In 2011 SAVE filed a Grievance Complaint[1] with the Board of Overseers of the Bar (BOB) demanding Kellet's disbarment. Bar Counsel J. Scott Davis in an 18-page Disciplinary Petition[2] charged that Kellett "has acted in a manner unworthy of an attorney," violated nine rules[3] of conduct, failed to provide defense with discovery, violated a court order, and instructed police officers not to cooperate with defense subpoenas. Davis stated that Kellett then made "misrepresentations to the jury of the actual facts", and concluded "she should receive such appropriate disciplinary action as is provided for by the Maine Bar Rules." The BOB will convene a disciplinary hearing against Kellett for misconduct in the Filler case.

Filler's incarceration is looking a lot like retaliation. "Men who have no criminal record get a fine or an afternoon DV class for allegations like this. Not only did the judge sentence Vladek to jail, he sentenced him to 21 days," says SAVE spokesperson Philip W. Cook, "It was all very personal and had nothing to do with what they convicted him of."

Call Judge Murray today! Tell him to rescind his conviction of Vladek Filler.

Judge Robert E. Murray
Hancock County Superior Court
Ellsworth, ME
Clerk: Terry Harding
207-667-7176

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Vladek's children need their father at home where he belongs.

Teri Stoddard, Program Director
Stop Abusive and Violent Environments
www.saveservices.org

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[1] http://www.saveservices.org/wp-content/uploads/COMPLA1.pdf
[2] http://www.saveservices.org/wp-content/uploads/Kellett-Disciplinary-Petition.pdf
[3] http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=75933:hearing-scheduled-on-complaint-against-assistant-da&Itemid=938