Teacher's stabbing death to be revisited after medical examiner walks back ruling of suicide
A woman's death was ruled a suicide over a decade ago. Now, it will be reexamined after the original medical examiner said he no longer believes she intentionally stabbed herself to death.
For years, Ellen Greenberg's family has fought for answers about her death. In January 2011, the 27-year-old teacher was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment with 20 stab wounds and a knife in her chest.
Marlon Osbourne -- who performed the autopsy on Greenberg -- initially ruled her death a homicide, but later changed it to suicide after police "had begun to publicly contradict" the ruling, according to a civil lawsuit filed by the family.
But in a sworn statement obtained by ABC News, Osbourne said it is now his "professional opinion Ellen's manner of death should be designated as something other than suicide."
"I have become aware of additional information I did not have at the time of issuing the amended death certificate, which may have impacted my opinion," he wrote.
Osbourne's heel-turn on the manner of death comes as a result of two civil lawsuits filed by Greenberg's parents, which the City of Philadelphia settled on Monday just as jury selection was about to begin.
In a statement to ABC News, the family's attorney, Joe Podraza, said Greenberg's parents were "very pleased" by the settlement -- and in particular, with Osbourne's finding.
“More than anything, that vindication is most meaningful to them. With this aspect of the case now behind them, they can turn their full attention to bringing to justice the murderer(s) responsible for Ellen’s tragic death," Podraza said.
As part of the settlement, the medical examiner's office will review the case, Podraza said.
In one of the two lawsuits, Greenberg's parents alleged there had been a "conspiracy to cover up Ellen's murder."
They accused the Philadelphia Police Department of "several fundamental breaches of crime-scene protocol," and the medical examiner's office of "ostensibly bowing to the improper public pressure" by police.
Police immediately treated the case as a suicide, the lawsuit states, in part because Greenberg's fiancé -- who found her dead -- said the apartment door had been locked from the inside. There were no signs of a home intruder, police said, and Greenberg did not have any defensive wounds from fighting off an attacker.
A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department declined to comment to ABC News, saying the department is "unable to comment on cases that are currently in litigation."
A spokesperson for the City of Philadelphia Law Department confirmed to ABC News that a settlement had been reached, but declined to comment further.
"The terms of the settlement include an independent review of the autopsy file and an express waiver of any claims that might be brought as a result of that process," the spokesperson said.
