Grand Jury

Today Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office announced it has empaneled a grand jury and issued subpoenas in its investigation into the murders of Arlene and Seymour Tankleff. Since our understanding is that the grand jury can't be used to gather evidence against Marty, because he is already technically under indictment by another grand jury, and despite the airtight silence maintained by the AG's office, we take this as a sign that the first impartial investigation ever by a prosecutor into the murders is underway.

The AG also requested four more months to announce whether to dismiss the charges against Marty, to retry him, or to seek indictments against others in the murders. It's hard to argue with this request for more time. After all, the case is 20 years old and its record fills a room. So by all means, please, read everything. Be methodical so you can say you left no stone unturned. Interview witnesses, old and new, as well as experts in the fields of false confessions and wrongful convictions. Test anything testable. Follow the investigative report of the intrepid SIC to underscore the objectivity of your conclusions.

Then, as you promised, follow the evidence where it leads.

A case like this, in which something obviously has gone terribly wrong, and in which a gap in the system has been revealed, provides a tremendous opportunity for leadership. As Kathryn Grant Madigan, the president of the New York State Bar Association, wrote just today in an op-ed entitled "Videotape Interrogations, Confessions" in the Albany Times Union, "In appointing state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate the 1988 murders of Seymour and Arlene Tankleff, Gov. Eliot Spitzer has taken an important step forward in the search for justice in this much-publicized case."

As has been mentioned here before, Tankleff supporters have the highest regard for Governor Mario Cuomo, whose response to a letter from Suffolk County Judge Stuart Namm led to the original SIC investigation. Now, a generation later, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has a historic opportunity not just to deliver justice for Arlene, Seymour and Marty Tankleff, but to guide and quicken tranformative change in our criminal justice system, and to restore faith in our system among the citizens of Suffolk County and all who are watching in New York State, across the nation and on five continents around the world. Godspeed!

Read the coverage in the Times and Newsday.

Comments

[Judge Stuart Namm (Ret)]

From your mouth to God's ears! Justice will triumph in this case, although it's already almost twenty years too late.

Judge Stuart Namm (Ret)
North Carolina

[Barbara in NJ]

Marty, Im still here right along with you, watching and praying.

This is just another bump in the road before the scales of justice finally tip in your favor for good.

The previous poster said its twenty years too late, I agree, but at least its happening NOW.

I will continue to pray for your complete exoneration, Marty. God bless you,
Barbara

[Kim Moseley]

This is the first real hope I have had that the true killer (the business partner) will finally be brought to justice. I have no doubt the charges against you will be dropped.
While they are at it, they also need to put McCreedy in prison. He is just as guilty because of what he did to you.

[Robert L. Olson]

Marty's truly is the case that simply will not just "go away!" Moreover, it shouldn't go away until the people everyone all over the world (and most of Suffolk County) knows are the real murderers (hint: it's not Marty!) are brought to justice and Marty found totally innocent by the special prosecutor as he is. Marty's is an amazing story that couldn't be made up with the most fertile imagination.

[debra covington]

jesus, you mean its not allll over for you? omg...i was so hoping you could put all this behind you and just be happy....dont worry marty, we all know you did not do this and the truth will win...even thos its way late for the truth, it will win!! You will win..i pray for you..you have much support my friend..dont ever give up hope!!!God Bless YOu in alll the way possible!! debra

[Jody]

Marty,
You have been so extraodinarily patient and focused throughout the last twenty years. I am praying that the truth will finally be unveiled once this investigation is over. Justice will finally prevail for your parents as well as for you and your very supportive family. You have,willingly or unwillingly, become an icon for the rest of the world to watch our justice system in action. I pray that our faith in the system can be restored once you have been fully exonerated. You are supported and loved by so many people! I'm sure that for every one email that you get, there are thousands of others who support you and are following your case.

[heidi masselli]

Marty i was happy to hear from you at xmas and it wasa few days later it seemed i h eard you were free as u deserve I hope all is well .
heidi

[Jack Kasden]

I played cards with your dad and he was on of the sweetest nicest men I had ever met. He loved to play with us each week in a nickle and dime game he had so much fun, and he did not have the presure he had in the Stuerman money game that he played each week. Arlene hired our band to play at your Dads 60 surprise birthday party and after that we were good friends. He is sorely missed and will not be forgotten.
Although I have not really had the pleasure of knowing you I think you are an exceptional and beautiful person and I hope you have a great life from here on in. I hope you will come by to say hello when you come to visit Aunt Ruthie.
With deepest love and prayer. Jack

[Ani Rodriguez]

Marty, This will give you the Opportunity to finally prove what all of us have believed all along. That you are Innocent! I hope that this new investigation gives them the truth about McCreedy & Stuerman without any more cover-ups and that they get Life without Parole for what they have done to you, your family and your life. But more importantly, I pray that it gives your parents Peace, knowing that you are now free and the REAL KILLERS are finally being investigated and hopefully brought to Justice.

Stay as Strong as you have always been Marty. We will continue this fight with you until your name has been cleared!
True Peace And Love, Ani

[Barbara, Stony Brook, New York]

Marty,

I have been following your case, since the day you were arrested. My condolences to you and your family.
I hope the Attorney General discovers enough evidence, to seek indictments against, the criminals who murdered your parents.
Much luck to you during this process.
I hope you are vindicated and the charges against you are dismissed.

Sincerely,
Barbara

[CaliforniaWoman]

Marty, I'm a new supporter from California and have a few wrongful indictments and convictions cases I am following as a concerned attorney, supporting by word of mouth and blogging. Good luck, keep your faith, you have so many loving people watching over you. I am watching from here in California.

[Ruth Ann]

Marty, I too am a new supporter although I recall hearing about your case a very long time ago. My memory of you was rekindled by sheer accident while on the web and I am happy for it. I wish you the best of luck and all the hope in the world. I will always be waiting to hear good news about you.

[denise hursak]

Hang in there Marty, Justice is finely on its way to bless you with the freedom you deserve. sorry it took 20 years of your life. hopefully the next 20 years will be your BEST!!!!!!!!! god bless you.

[suzi clark]

Marty,
I have been aware of your case since it was on t.v.. I am so sorry for your terrible loss and not even being able to deal with it properly. My heart goes out to you as well as my prayers for justice. Thank G-D you have such a wonderful, supportive, and visible family behind you.
You are wished only the best for your future. It is better for you that you are not bitter, heaven knows it would be easy.
I wish you good health, the freedom you deserve, and a good life to come soon.

Suzi from Orlando

[Diane]

I used to live on Long Island when Marty was arrested for killing his parents. I watched the whole trial on TV. I had heard that his father's business partner owed him alot of money. I also heard that he had some kind of a secret "tryst" going on with Marty's sister. After the death of his parents, didn't it seem a little too "odd" that the business partner went on a "sudden vacation"?? His sister didn't believe Marty's story, and claimed that the business partner didn't do it??? Then the main investigator not only botches everything up in Marty's case, but messes up a few more cases after that?? I believe that he was "let go" from the department? As I watched the trial, (I was glued to all of it ) I knew that if I was on the jury, that he would have been 100 percent innocent. I just don't understand how they could have done this to this boy...(now 20 years older, having wasted his life in prison) He will (even if and when he gets out)never be that same innocent boy again. You can't be in prison for this long (especially for a crime that you didn't do) and not be a lot more "hardcore" when you come out. Whose going to give that part of his life back to him? He never even got to say goodbye to his folks in a proper way. I hope that (cuz I believe with all my heart) that the business partner gets convicted, and even the cop who botched up the case...(only cuz I believe he was friends with the business partner)also gets a good amount of time. He was found to be a corrupt cop. That should have given Marty a new trial to begin with.
And what about his sister???.....Does she still hold on to her story that Marty was just a spoiled kid who got mad at his parents? I believe that she too, (as nasty as it sounds) covered up for that business partner as well. I wish you luck Marty. I have been hoping for years that something would happen that would finally vindicate you. I still can see that horrible look of anguish on your face as they read the guilty verdict. I knew just from that look alone, that you did not commit that crime.
God Bless ya, and I hope that you can become adjusted to the outside world of which you were robbed of. Take care.

[Anita from PA]

Marty,
I just saw your profile on American Justice. I too was wrongly indicted on 21 charges by the State. Luckily, when I went to trial (twice) I got an educated jury (the second time) that saw through the lies of the prosecutor and his so-called investigator. The investigator had a less than stellar record (perjury in other cases, sexual assault on a female inmate he was transporting, etc..) I can relate to the way you handled the original trial. I was in total disbelief that I could be charged with a misdemeanor, let alone felonies. I too did not grasp the meaning of the whole thing until the jury read the verdict. I hope you will beat this horrible accusation, and try to get on with your life. A grand jury can indict a ham sandwich, because you are not allowed to present a defense. This is one law that should be changed. It is a waste of time for the judicial system to hear most of the pointless cases that come out of a grand jury proceeding. AND, I believe that any investigator or law enforcement officer that has been caught on any type of misconduct should not be allowed to remain in their job. Good Luck,

[Roxanne]

Dear Marty,
I saw you on Oprah, God Bless you that you survived. Those MONSTERS who helped convict you, should never have a good day. The woman who gave the 'tip', never mentioned who it was that told her he did it. Was it your father's partner? Is the person who told the woman he did it going to get tried?
May your loving parents finally rest in peace, since their son is free,
thank you,
enjoy every minute
Roxanne

[Jean]

I, too have followed your story for many years.

We all behave differently in situations of stress and I am glad you are free to live your life. I do hope you do so in a way that makes your family never, ever, question you.

Make your family proud & I hope they finally catch the real killer/s.