Rapist pursues appeal
Jeffrey J. Marsalis, who raped an Idaho lesbian and 11 local women, continues to seek his freedom.
In 2007, Common Pleas Judge Steven R. Geroff sentenced Marsalis to 10-and-a-half to 21 years in state prison for his local crimes.
But Marsalis claims he was wrongfully convicted.
On July 3, he filed legal papers in state Superior Court, requesting that Geroff be compelled to file an opinion, justifying his conviction.
At presstime, Geroff hadn’t yet filed the opinion. But the judge was expected to do so within the next several days.
Marsalis also requested a transcript of his 2007 trial, and that the transcript fee be waived since he’s a pauper.
Marsalis, 41, remains incarcerated at a state prison in Marienville. His scheduled release date is Jan. 17, 2017.
Then, he must begin serving a lengthy sentence in Idaho for raping a lesbian in that state, according to court records.
Judge to review cop records
A Philadelphia judge has agreed to review the medical records of N. Melville Jones, an openly gay police officer who’s suing the city for pervasive anti-LGBT workplace bias.
During a brief court proceeding July 10, Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Idee C. Fox was handed a thick file of Jones’ medical records.
The judge promised to look through the file to see if any sensitive information should be redacted.
Then, Fox said, the city will have a chance to object to any redactions before a final determination is made.
The city says it needs Jones’ entire medical records to adequately defend against his lawsuit.
But Jones’ attorneys say the city is intruding into the privacy of their client.
The case is in the discovery phase of litigation, and a non-jury trial is expected in December.
— Tim Cwiek
Center to hold quarterly meeting
William Way LGBT Community Center will hold its quarterly meeting 7 p.m. July 22 at 1315 Spruce St.
The meeting is open to the public and will be held in the Philadelphia Room.
Items on the agenda include discussion of plans for this fall’s OutBeat Jazz Festival and for the 50th anniversary of the Annual Reminders, review of a new grant to support the center’s archive work and details on the 2015 budget process.
For more information, call 215-732-2220.
— Jen Colletta