At long last, Marie Long is one simple signature away from getting her wish. Well, one of her wishes anyway.Undoubtedly, she would wish to have some of her money back, the $821,000 sucked up by guardians and lawyers appointed to protect her from unscrupulous types who might come after an old lady's life savings.
Marie's attorneys, who for years have worked for free, are appealing her case. They hope to force Maricopa County's probate court to reconsider Commissioner Lindsay Ellis' decision that it was “reasonable” for Marie's so-called protectors to basically drain an estate once worth $1.3 million, leaving her penniless and dependent on taxpayers for support.
But Marie is 89. She can't wait forever to see justice. She knows that, which brings me to wish No. 2.
“I would like,” she told me last fall, “that this doesn't happen to anybody else.”
This week or next, Marie's wish could be granted, assuming Gov. Jan Brewer signs Senate Bill 1499 – and assuming the county's probate judges burn their well-worn rubber stamps and remember who it is that they are there to protect.
Credit the Arizona Legislature. In between birther bills and tea party license plates, when they weren't belatedly disclosing Fiesta Bowl junkets or lopping poor people off the state's health care rolls, our leaders did a really good thing last week.
They passed a probate bill aimed at better protecting vulnerable people and giving them a voice in what happens to them and their money. The vote was unanimous.
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Marie Long One Step Away From Getting Her Wish
Marie Long deserves every cent back. At least, though, she has lived long enough to see something done directly because of her case. She's got to feel good about that.
ReplyDeleteMarie Long's story is so sad and the fact that they got away with stealing all her money with everybody knowing it, is the saddest thing.
ReplyDeleteMy hat is off to Marie's attorneys for standing by her without a paycheck. That speaks volumes to their character.
ReplyDeleteI agree StandUp, where the real justice the deterrent to stop others from their plan to impoverish the ward?
ReplyDeleteYes this is one step and I thank God Marie is still with us bless her and her family for standing up against the evil dark side.
To Norma -
ReplyDeleteIt's not often that we hear about good guys. Most of what we hear is about the pirates and sharks.
I wonder if and also hope that the FBI is investigating the Marie Long case.
ReplyDeleteThe judges and their rubber stamps probably won't change,Laurie, but they've been chastised and that's a new for them.
ReplyDelete