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A deal in Alycia Lane case Columnist Dan Gross settled and is no longer named in the former anchor’s lawsuit. By Carolyn Davis
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Philadelphia Daily News gossip columnist Dan Gross has been dropped as a defendant from a civil lawsuit brought by former CBS3 anchor Alycia Lane after they agreed to a settlement. Common Pleas Court Judge Howland W. Abramson signed an order Tuesday dismissing Lane’s claims against Gross in a suit that also names her former CBS3 coanchor Larry Mendte and others as defendants. Gross “was named because he was used as one of the vehicles for Mr. Mendte’s unlawful invasion of her privacy,” said Lane’s attorney, Paul Rosen, of the Center City law firm Spector Gadon & Rosen. “Of course, we were pleased with the settlement, and it made a nice Christmas present for Alycia Lane.” Gross said Friday, “While I am confident I would have been vindicated had the case gone to trial, as I did nothing wrong, I am glad that a settle-
he pleaded guilty to hacking into Lane’s e-mail account. The suit claims that after Mendte illegally obtained the e-mails, Gross published that information. Lawyers for Gross and Lane declined to discuss the terms of the confidential settlement. Rosen said he expected that Gross would testify at the trial. Also originally named in the lawsuit was Philadelphia Media Holdings, which at the time owned the Daily News as well as The Inquirer and Philly.com. The company was dropped from the suit during its bankruptcy proceedings. The newspapers’ current APRIL SAUL / Staff Photographer owner said it was not inLarry Mendte and Alycia Lane as CBS3 coanchors in 2004. volved in the settlement or He pleaded guilty in 2008 to hacking into her e-mail account the case. “It wouldn’t be apand remains a defendant in her civil suit, set for trial in April. propriate for Philadelphia Mement was reached and that I Mendte, CBS3, and Colleran dia Network Inc. to comment can put the matter behind remain defendants in the on a legal issue and settleme.” case, which is expected to go ment that was litigated in its The suit, filed in 2008, al- to trial in April. entirety with the previous leged that Mendte, Gross, The suit followed a 2007 in- ownership, and in which the and the other defendants in- cident in which Lane was ar- current ownership has not vaded Lane’s privacy by mak- rested and accused of strik- been involved,” said Mark ing public her private e-mails ing a New York City police Block, vice president of exterand photographs. It also ac- officer. The charges were lat- nal relations for Philadelphia cuses CBS3 and its former er dismissed. Media Network Inc. president and general managIn 2008, a U.S. District er, Michael Colleran, of de- Court judge sentenced Contact staff writer Carolyn Davis faming Lane when the station Mendte to house arrest and at 215-854-4214 or ended her employment. three years’ probation after cdavis@phillynews.com.
Neighbors mourn slain Delco man Murray Seidman, 70, of Lansdowne, was found beaten to death in his apartment.
Wednesday afternoon. Kelly was in her apartment down the hall from Seidman’s when she heard pounding at By Mari A. Schaefer stant companion. Police did her door and John screaming, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER not return calls seeking com- “Murray’s dead! Call the poAs police in Delaware ment Friday. lice!” County continued their inSeidman, neighbors said, When she opened her door, vestigation into the beating was a father figure to the she said, John collapsed to death of a 70-year-old Lans- younger man. The two met, his knees in her living room downe man whose body was according to neighbors, at and began beating the wood found on Wednesday, neigh- Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, floors with his fists. bors recalled him as a friend- where Seidman worked for 40 “There was blood everyly soul who liked to eat out, years in the laundry unit be- where,” she quoted him as watch movies, and bowl. fore retiring in 2009. They saying. “My best friend is Police said earlier that Mur- were often seen together gro- dead.” ray Seidman, of the first cery shopping, bowling, and Kelly, 50, and two other block of South Lansdowne Av- going to the movies and neighbors, Alan Abbonizio, enue, suffered multiple blunt- church. 57, and Tammy Walkingstick force injuries and may have Neighbors said they did not Riley, 43, said Seidman kept been dead for at least five know where the younger man to himself but was persondays before a friend found his lived and had not seen him able. body in his apartment. since Seidman’s body was disKelly recalled passing him in the hallway on Jan. 7. Neighbors say Seidman covered. The young man alerted She said that Seidman was found by a man they knew only as John, who is in neighbor Dolores Kelly that walked everywhere and that his 20s and who was his con- something was wrong late a nearby Dunkin’ Donuts
shop and Doyle’s Deli were two of his favorite stops. Abbonizio recalled spending Christmas Eve with Kelly in Seidman’s apartment watching wrestling on TV. It was Seidman’s favorite sport, he said. “We were laughing and having a nice time,” Abbonizio said. At Mercy Fitzgerald, the mood was somber as former co-workers learned of Seidman’s death. “He was a landmark in the hospital, having worked here for half the hospital’s existence,” spokeswoman Bernice Manallo Ho said. “Everybody liked him. He was just a very nice man.”
Fight
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Continued from B1 an, positioned themselves on the 15th Street platform at 7 a.m. Friday, along with several SEPTA police officers. Watson rode the El with an early group of 20 to 30 Boys Latin students to their stop at 52d Street. Hardy said he and SEPTA officers put a “small group of stragglers” on a later train. Hardy then began driving to school. The later group, of about a dozen Boys Latin students, got off at 46th Street, where a number of West Catholic students apparently were waiting for them. “They should have stayed on the El,” Hardy said. “We are going to have a serious discussion.” Witnesses said the melee again started with two students and quickly grew into five battles. “At first I thought they were playing,” said Brian Pugh, who runs a CD stand at 46th and Market Street. But then one combatant slammed his opponent into a car, and other fights broke out. “This is not good,” Pugh said he thought to himself. At some point, the West Catholic junior, who has not been identified, pulled a blade. Police have not recovered it, but said it could be some sort of utility knife. After the fight broke up, the Boys Latin students got back onto the El and went to 52d Street. At least one student called ahead to Watson, who met the group and drove four students to Mercy Philadelphia Hospital. A fifth student later realized he had been cut and went to Mercy. A sixth student, a sophomore, broke or dislocated a finger in the fight, and was returned to class with a splint, Hardy said. The most seriously injured, Reginald Carter, a senior who just turned 19, was stabbed in the left thigh, the left side, and twice in the back. He was
Saturday, January 15, 2011
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Contact staff writer Mari A. Schaefer at 610-892-9149 or mschaefer@phillynews.com.
By Martha Woodall
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Officials from the Philadelphia School District and two The Philadelphia Inquirer charter school leaders antransferred to the Hospital of would have been out in full nounced Friday a new tempothe University of Pennsylva- force,” he said. “Once we find rary home for a West Philadelnia. out the true facts, there will be phia charter school whose Carter answered the phone severe disciplinary conse- building was destroyed by at his home Friday night and quences for the students who fire Jan. 9. said, “I’m fine.” He did not were involved, which could be Global Leadership Acadewant to comment further. expulsion.” Two other seniors — KaHardy said he did not plan my Charter School, which has reem Davis, who sustained a to discipline the injured stu- been closed since the fivedeep wound to the left thigh, dents. “I think the punish- alarm blaze gutted its buildand Barrett Britt, who was ment has already been dealt ing at 5151 Warren St., will move next week to the former stabbed in the buttocks — out,” he said. were taken to Children’s HosFour of the five have been Turner Middle School at 5900 pital of Philadelphia. accepted to colleges including Baltimore Ave. The final two seniors, Naim Pennsylvania State University, KIPP West Philadelphia PreBrown and Kenneth Smith, Morgan State University, and paratory Charter School alwere treated at Mercy. All are Indiana University of Pennsyl- ready is housed in part of the expected to fully recover. vania. Hardy anticipates the Turner building. Global LeadDeirdra Brown said her fifth to be accepted soon. ership will hold classes on the son, Naim, who turned 18 Boys Latin, at 55th Street second floor for the rest of Thursday, was pulled off the and Cedar Avenue, enrolls 450 the academic year, officials train by West Catholic boys male high school students and said. waiting to jump him and oth- focuses on a college-preparatoThe district initially offered ers. He had a cut to his mouth ry curriculum that includes Global Leadership the use of that required stitches, but is the mandatory study of Latin. otherwise fine, she said. She The publicly funded charter the shuttered Peirce School said the boys were fighting school is modeled after Bos- at 2400 Christian St. in South over a girl from another ton Latin School, a much-laud- Philadelphia. Naomi Johnson Booker, Global Leadership’s school. ed public school. The West Catholic junior Hardy described the com- chief executive officer, said a who pulled the knife sliced batants as “a subset of kids West Philadelphia site would himself on the hand and was from both schools who made be more convenient for partreated at Thomas Jefferson some dumb decisions.” He ents. University Hospital, authori- said the schools likely would Global Leadership has apties said. hold a joint event early next proximately 400 students Ahern said he was not sure week. from kindergarten through how many West Catholic stu“We’re going to work eighth grade. dents were involved in the through the weekend to make In June, the charter celefight, but said police took sev- sure we get this right,” he brated a groundbreaking for eral of his students to South- said. “We can’t have this.” an $11 million facility at 4601 west Detectives to be quesGirard Ave. The school is tioned. Contact staff writer Troy Graham scheduled to be completed The archdiocesan school en- at 215-854-2730 or for the start of the 2011-12 acarolls 435 male and female stu- tgraham@phillynews.com. demic year. dents, and is a half-block from the 46th Street station. Contributing to this article were Ahern said he had not heard Inquirer staff writers Robert Contact staff writer Martha about the Thursday morning Moran, John Sullivan, and Mark Woodall at 215-854-2789 or fight. “If we were alerted, we Fazlollah. martha.woodall@phillynews.com. 0
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News in Brief Man is fatally shot in Northeast Phila. A 20-year-old man was fatally shot Friday night in Northeast Philadelphia, police said. The man, whose name was not released, was shot once in the abdomen around 8:50 p.m. in the area of Frankford and Devereaux Avenues, said Officer Jillian Russell. The victim was pronounced dead at 9:06 at Temple University Hospital. A suspect was later arrested. — Robert Moran
Candlelight vigil held at site of fatal fire Dozens of people stood for hours in the bitter cold Friday, wiping away tears and whispering prayers, during a candlelight vigil in front of the charred remains of a Feltonville rowhouse where a woman and her three children died early Thursday. Rasheedah Wilson and her children, Jamar Nobles, 14; Minyan Wilson, 11; and Shanai Patter, 8, died when the fire consumed the inside of their home on Palethorp Street within minutes. Wilson, 33, was a block captain, known on her narrow street for organizing block parties for the neighborhood children and encouraging residents to do weekly cleanups. “It’s crushed my spirit. I can’t sleep at all,” said Steven Washington, who lived a few doors from Wilson. “Her son was friends with my son. He used to stay at my house all the time, come on vacations with us. It’s just devastating all around.” — David Gambacorta
Two men shot in North Philadelphia Two men were shot late Friday night and taken to Temple University Hospital, police said. The shooting occurred in 1100 block of Roy Street in North Philadelphia, not far from the hospital. A 21-year-old man was in stable condition with a gunshot wound to one leg, police said. A 22-year-old man was in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds. Police did not release the victims’ names. — Inquirer staff
Five charged with ‘skimmer’ fraud using ATMs Five men have been arrested and charged with stealing $145,923.32 from the bank accounts of 143 customers using an electronic “skimmer,” officials said Friday. The skimmers were secretly placed over the card slots of ATMs in Lower Providence, Springfield and Lower Merion Townships in Montgomery County, and West Whiteland Township in Chester County. The devices read electronic data on ATM cards, said Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman. When combined with the card’s PIN, the information can be used to create fake cards that can be used by thieves. The thefts between Oct. 1 and Dec. 23 surfaced when customers reported funds missing from their accounts. Police discovered that ATMs at several Citizens and Wachovia Bank branches had been compromised. Withdrawals were made at ATMs throughout the region. No money was recovered. The accused were identified as Dimitar Tanchev, 28, and Ismail Misankov, 31, both of Chicago; Dimcho Vasilev, 30, of Atlantic City; Krasimir Uzunov, 47, of Egg Harbor, N.J.; and Dragomir Lipov, 26, of Schaumberg, Ill. All were being held at the Montgomery County prison on $250,000 cash bail for a hearing Jan. 19. They are charged with theft and related offenses. — Bonnie L. Cook
Castille calls on lawyers to offer pro bono aid HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s chief justice said Friday that he wanted the state’s 70,000 lawyers to pitch in to address a crisis in the legal aid system regarding civil matters. Ronald D. Castille released a letter that he sent Jan. 7 asking every lawyer to take on at least one new pro bono matter or continue to volunteer through a legal aid provider or other organized program. “The need for help among the poor to access justice is so significant that the legal community cannot wait for the funding deficiencies to be remedied,” Castille said. He said that the economic downturn appeared to have increased demand for such services, but that about half the people who show up at legal aid offices and qualify for assistance are turned down because there are not enough resources. — AP
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