Via the 419Fund e-mail list (the blog here seems to contain all of the ones I have), I just received this last (hopefully) letter from Philip Zodhiates in prison. He will be (sort of) let out on March 26 but must report to somewhere else, where they could order him to stay or let him go to "home detention" until June 24. I'm intrigued by what he said about the difference it seems to have made to the civil suit that Isabella has made a legal motion (via her lawyer) making it absolutely clear that she is no party to the civil lawsuit against her mother and those who helped them. Philip doesn't know if this is why depositions have been once more suspended in the civil case and conjectures this may be why. I wonder if the reason, rather, is that there will now be another criminal trial (Lisa's). Previously, the judge kept delaying the civil case while the various criminal trials were going forward. Here is Philip's letter, dated March 14:
Janet Stasulli at 419Fund.com wanted me to write an update specifically for those who have followed my case on her website and graciously prayed for Kathie, my family and me as well as contributed toward my legal expenses. My family and I would like to thank especially Janet Stasulli, whom I did not even know previously, for being such a blessing and coming alongside of us – – especially Kathie – – during these past 2 1/2 years.And thank YOU, for your prayers, letters, cards, and financial support. Thank Michael Erkel for your weekly and now daily letters I can always count on, and those of you who have written monthly. Thank you lifesitenews.com, Lamplighter Publications, and Lighthouse Trails Publishing for the publicity you have provided, which has resulted in many encouraging letters.
Kathie, William, and Josiah have been so faithful and held together the home front filing taxes, enduring and beating an IRS audit, paying bills, keeping Response Unlimited going and dealing with tragedies (such as my mom‘s death), and emergencies without me by their side. Kathie especially, who has been amazingly enduring for one who hates to be alone.
It seems that next week in less than 7 days (March 26, to be exact), I’ll be walking out the front door where I self-surrendered at 2:00 PM on December 5, 2018. Kathie, William and Josiah will be picking me up and driving me to Lebanon Community Correctional Center in Lebanon, Virginia where I must check in by 2:00 PM. It will be up to those there whether I will stay, or whether I will go to home detention. Please pray!! My sentence ends completely on June 24, 2021, and then I will still be on “probation” for 1 year.
I know little if anything about what is going on with the civil suit, other than Lisa Miller‘s surrender to authorities, and Isabella Miller’s release of all defendants, has put the plaintiff’s lawyers suddenly on the defensive. They suspended all depositions at least temporarily. But I have been receiving no updates at all.Judge Arcara has yet to rule on my motion “to vacate due to insufficient counsel” (2255), even though it has been eight months since the last responses have been filed. This has been surprising in a way, since the statute is so clear that no laws were broken as I truly believed Isabella was a victim of abuse during mandatory visitations. I am still praying for complete vindication.
I have so much to be grateful and thankful for. God has kept us in life and has not allowed our feet to slip. For He has tried us, He has refined us as silver is refined. He did bring me into the prison; and did lay an oppressive burden upon our loins . . . we went through fire and through water; yet He is bringing us now into a place of abundance . . . certainly, God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of our prayer. Blessed be God who has not turned away our prayer, nor
His loving kindness from us (adapted from Psalm 66:9-12, 19-20)!Please don’t forget to be praying at 2 o’clock on Friday, March 26!
In HIS Service,
Philip
Meanwhile, please continue to pray for Lisa, who continues to be in uncertainty and not-very-good prison conditions. She was abruptly moved from one prison to another, in the course of which her letters, addresses, the phone number of her lawyer, and the return letters she had written to supporters were all confiscated and hence lost (to her). In one of her updates she mentions a concern about the possibility of "diesel therapy" (a new term to me), which is a form of abusive treatment of federal prisoners in which they are moved about unnecessarily from place to place in shackles. Here is an account of a recent video chat between Lisa and a friend.
I'm going to bet that Lisa is having no contact with Isabella so as to maintain secrecy about Isabella's location, even though nothing can be done to Isabella legally.
Let us continue to pray for these prisoners of conscience.
This blog seems to post somewhat regular updates as well.
Comments (2)
Thanks for the updates, this is such an important case that seems to have been largely forgetten. It will be interesting to see how Isabella declaring herself not part of the civil case will effect that case, if at all. I have no legal background, but I can imagine both sides trying to use it their advantage. One that says it is now clear that the deprivation of a relationship is much worse than just 10 years or so, and the other that will use it to say there was never any relationship anyway so nothing was lost. Of course, those of us not lost in the peculiarities of some power hungry Judge's decisions know kids are fiercely loyal to bio parents so long as they are even halfway decent.
In other news, Robert Hoogland is said to have been jailed in Canada for, in the end, saying his daughter is his daughter and not his "son".
Posted by DR84 | March 23, 2021 12:31 PM
Yes, I saw a vlog about that recently that was trying to say it's more complicated than that, but as far as I could tell the only "more complicated" part was that the judge had ordered him not to name his daughter anywhere, not to identify the doctors who are giving his daughter who-knows-what unspeakable "treatment" against his wishes, and (this is the really crazy part), not to identify HIMSELF in drawing attention to the case. And supposedly it was for violating these draconian gag orders that he was gagged, not merely for so-called "misgendering" his daughter. Brrrr.
Posted by Lydia | March 24, 2021 12:24 PM