For Immediate Release:

September 10, 2003

Contact:

Kyle Quandel

Campaign Director

212.340.9591

director@marcuswayman.org

Teen Suicide Case Settled Out of Court with Heavy Hearts from Family, Friends

Family Receives Menial Compensation for the Tragic Loss of Their Eighteen Year-old Son

Allentown, PA (USA):  After days of painful negotiations the Sterling family and the Borough Minersville and police, a monetary settlement has been offered and resentfully accepted by the Sterling family for having area police prompt his suicide. 

Since the 1997 suicide of Marcus (who was 18 years old), his family has battled furiously in Federal Court (Eastern District, PA); claiming that Minersville Police (Scott Willinsky & father Chief Joseph Willinsky) violated Marcus’s constitutional rights under the 4^th (search and seizure) and 14^th Amendment (citizens right to privacy).

Police began by arguing in 1999 that sexual orientation was not considered “privacy” covered under the 14^th Amendment.  However, this argument was quickly dismissed by the Honorable Arnold C. Rapoport, presiding Judge.

Police and Minersville Borough appealed the ruling to the 3^rd Circuit of Appeals in Philadelphia, where again, the motion was quickly dismissed by the High Court.

In November 2001, the case was remanded back to Allentown Federal Court where a jury heard three days of testimony and concluded that the Police should be acquitted from any wrongdoing.  Thankfully, in an unprecedented and courageous move, the Honorable Rapoport threw out the verdict and moved for a new trial.

After seven, gut-wrenching and grueling years rehashing the tragic details of their son’s suicide, Marcus’ family has put an end to the turmoil. 

Today, Minersville insurance agents claimed that a significant reward for damages would seriously jeopardize the Borough’s financial stability and force them into bankruptcy, prolonging the case for an indeterminate amount of time.

“Although the police have taken our son, destroyed our family and have caused irreparable damages, we have proven a point that our elected officials must be held accountable for their actions,” said the Mark and Madonna Sterling, Wayman parents. “We now call upon the public to support our crusade to remove rouge police from Minersville and Borough demanding that his police officers be adequately trained in sensitivity to sexual minority issues and a written policy for his department be adopted. 

“We refuse to accept the fact that money can buy you out of murder!  The fact that these police are wielding guns and intimidating our youth along with violating their civil rights is reprehensible”, said Kyle Quandel, Campaign Coordinator.  “We will not rest until true justice is served and we will continue to fight to the end!”

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