Blurbs from the “Official Psychiatric Report” Ordered by San Diego County Superior Court: August 7, 1990.
Conclusion Ignored by the Court.
“It would be to the child’s (Haley) detriment for any more disruption of her relationship with her father”. Psych Report.
I find her(Lisa) to be lacking in credibility, a lost soul. Psych Report
Dr. Grinberg is a loving father who will be an asset to his daughter
Haley, A Novel
A Story of Shame and Disgrace
Completely Revised, Edited and Reorganized for Smashwords
By John A. Johnson
Copyright 2011
Edition, License Notes Thank you for downloading this free ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblances to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Author’sPreface
The Characters
The Alleged Victim
The Victim
The Conspiracy
The Conspirators
The Personals
The StoolPigeon
The FirstLetter
The BacciInstitute
The Decision
The Outfit
The RapSheet
The Contact
The FirstDate
The Dinner
The Courtship
The HouseMeeting
Hospital for Women
The LaborPains
Dr. Golberg
The DollStory
The MutilatedPenis
The CrimeVideo
MilePost47, I-5 North
The Helper
Argument at Blackhawk Mansion
U-T CrimeWatch
San Diego Zoo
Chronology of a Conspiracy.1992
Alleged Crime Scene ChulaVista, California
California Superior Court, San Diego
Civil Trial Opening Day
Civil Trial Day Three
The Dummy
Mitigation Hearing
Michael’s Testimony
Lisa’s Testimony
U.T. Headline
City Jail, San Diego
Mitigation Hearing
The Judgement
Court Documents
Psychiatric Evaluation
Methods of Evaluation
The Interaction Sessions
Ancillary Information
Discussion
Goals of Recommendation
What the Psych Report says aboutLisa but ignored by the court.
“it is important to bear in mind the persecutory, uninsightful aspect of Lisa’s personality observed directly by me”. Psych Report
quite outrageous behavior on her part. Psych Report
”I found her to be less than forthright (truthful). She made clear statements that to me were false.” Psych Report
“…she (Lisa) absolutely misperceived and distorted a situation that would have been obvious to anyone. Psych Report
Lisa also was unable to see her contribution in any of the difficulties between her and Michael. Psych Report
It is interesting to note that Lisa did not bring any toys with her for Haley. Psych Report
In summary, I found Lisa Cohen to be somewhat overly dramatic, somewhat emotionally labile (untruthful), and a person who felt easily persecuted and victimized. Psych Report
”…ignore Haley and instead enumerate to me the accusations she had against Michael. Psych Report
I have found defects in judgment, insight, and perception. Psych Report
I find her to be lacking in credibility. Psych Report
she is unaware that her animosity towards Haley’s father is detrimental daughter and signifies a lack of empathy for her daughter Psych Report
little insight… understanding …grossly exaggerated. Psych Report
She stated her own brother saw her as a “lost soul.” I agree. Psych Report
Unfortunately…it shows that she is not really tuned to Haley’s needs or desires. Psych Report.
The session ended with Lisa leaving by the private exit so that Haley would be unable to say good-bye to her father. Psych Report
“…less than forthright (truthful) Psych Report
“Lisa Cohen has done everything in power to disrupt the relationship between Dr. Grinberg and Haley, to the detriment of Haley” Psych Report
What the Psych Report says aboutMike but ignored by the court.
“… most appropriate in his approach to Haley” Psych Report.
“She obviously enjoyed this affectionate interaction”. Psych Report
“…interaction session with Haley showed Dr. Grinberg to be very sensitive to the needs of a child” Psych Report
“Haley … was very special and important to him” Psych Report.
“…showed him to be a loving, empathic, and concerned father” Psych Report
“Once again let me state that there has never been any evidence that Dr. Grinberg has been anything but a loving and caring father to his daughter” Psych Report.
“I have concluded that’Dr. Grinberg ino way poses a threat to the health and safety of his daughter. Psych Report
“…Dr. Grinberg is a loving father who will be an asset to his daughter during her growth and development.” Psych Report
What the Psych Report says aboutHaley but ignored by the court.
Haley protested her father’s leaving, and wanted to continue playing with her father. Psych Report.
“Haley showed that she could separate easily from her mother” Psych Report.
Author’s Preface
Michael is dead. Lisa Cohen is responsible. I promised Michael Grinberg that I would make sure these documents were posted on the internet so that his Haley or Hailey would see them and know that he was a loving, caring and compassionate individual that she was cheated out of knowing by her mother. It is not too late for her to know her grandmother, her aunts and uncles and a legion of fun loving and kind cousins. Read through this book to learn the truth.
Thse psychiatric documents are public information. The author obtained them from the San Diego County Superior Court. They were placed there by Lisa Cohen in her pursuit of Michael Grinberg. They can be obtained by anyone on request.
The evidence that Lisa Cohen was the instigator of a conspiracy to have Dr. Michael Grinberg set up and trapped in a murder for hire scheme with her as he victim is undisputable. These Psych Reports shows how she attempted to convince her friends first, then her medical doctors and finally the courts in San Diego, California that Michael Grinberg planned to kill her when in fact he only wanted to help raise his only child.
Subsequently, with the aid of a powerful legal team she was able to gain the cooperation of city, county, state and federal of law enforcement agencies, the San Diego Union Tribune and judges in San Diego Municipal Court to join in that conspiracy. Working together they succeeded in ensnaring the esteemed and much loved by family, friends and patients, Medical Doctor and Psychiatrist, Dr. Michael M.Grinberg in the scheme for which he was imprisoned from February 13, 1993 until his final release on March 5, 2000. Upon release Michel moved to Hawaii where he married a woman who became the love of his life. They lived quietly and productively for ten years doing what he loved, surfing, and taking care of animals and people before he died in May, 2011.
Shame on the entire lot of them for participating in shch a heinous unforgiveable crime against Mike, as he was known by those who loved him. Read on for a clear understanding of what, how, when and where it all happened, including his untimely death.
August 7, 1990 Dear Judge: Pursuant to Judge Betty Bendorf Quinn’s Court Order. I have conducted a psychiatric evaluation in the custody and visitation matter of Haley Cohen Grinberg, the 20 month year [sic] old (B. 12-20-88) daughter of Michael Grinberg and Lisa Cohen. The results of my evaluation are interwoven through the body of this report. There is a discussion with recommendations at its conclusion.
Methods of Evaluation
I was contacted by Mr. Bill Wachler of the San Diego Superior Court Family Court Services regarding doing an evaluation in the Cohen-Grinberg matter. Subsequently I sent my C.V. and a copy of my stipulation forms, to be signed by both attorneys, which would allow me to proceed in this matter. I was quite clear with Ms. Hatcher and we were both in agreement that I would proceeding this matter only if my task was to make a recommendation with regard to the best interest with regard to the minor child, and that in no way would I participate as an evaluator, except if I were to be either court appointed, or agreed upon by both parties. It was also my understanding that my report would be received in evidence by the court.
Subsequently, I received a letter from Ms.Blueshoe dated April 10, 1990 in which the requested deposit of $2000.00 was enclosed. Ms. Blueshoe also stated that I had been agreed upon as the evaluator by both parties, that my stipulation was not signed, but that I could proceed on the basis of the agreement of the parties. I would like to state here that at no time did I feel that I represented, or was performing the evaluation at the behest of Dr. Grinberg alone, nor did I interpret Ms Blueshoe’s letter in a manner that would lead me to believe that Ms. Blueshoe saw me as anything but a neutral participant in the evaluation.
An individual session was held with Dr. Grinberg on May 10, 1990. This session lasted approximately two and one half hours. I was unable to schedule an appointment with Ms. Cohen until June 7th when I met with her for approximately one and one half hours. I was unable to make an appointment prior to that time because of the fact that Ms. Cohen stated she would be out of town or otherwise occupied until then.
On June 8th I had arranged to see Haley with her father and her mother in interaction sessions, and I planned on seeing Ms. Cohen for an additional interview also at that time. It was my clear understanding that Ms.Cohen would have someone there to be with the child while I saw her, or that another person would be able to take the child back to the hotel. In fact, Ms. Cohen arrived a half an hour late, and therefore, I had an additional opportunity to talk to Dr.Grinberg, who had come in for the interaction sessions.
Ms.Cohen did not have anyone with her to take care of the child she had to leave the appointment after the interaction session with her daughter to return her daughter to the hotel, and again, I spoke with Dr. Grinberg in the time she was gone.
I did have the opportunity to speak with Lisa Cohen when she returned to my office. Therefore, on June 8th, I spoke with Dr. Grinberg for approximately one hour and twenty minutes. I spoke with Lisa Cohen for one hour and I observed interaction sessions of Haley with each of her parents for approximately one-half hour each.
On Saturday, June 8th, I spent approximately three and one half hours with the parents and child at issue in this case. In addition to the clinical interviews, I reviewed a report of the psychological testing of the parents performed by Carl Leser, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist. The tests were done at my request by Dr.Leser. Dr. Leser performs a great many of the psychological tests requested by the psychiatrists on the psychiatric psychological panel of the Family Law Department of the Los Angeles Superior Court. Dr. Grinberg’s psychological tests were performed on May 15,1990, and Lisa Cohen was seen on July 9, 1990.
A copy of Dr.Leser’s report of his psychological tests results is attached. I also reviewed the written material presented to me. This included a detailed history questionnaire filled out by Dr. Grinberg at my request and returned to me. I sent a questionnaire to Ms.Cohen, along with a number of “Release of Information” forms.
Unfortunately, according to her office, this material was never received. I did have a telephone conversation with Mr. Richard Miller, of the Alliance Detective Agency, who functioned as a monitor for the visits Dr. Grinberg had with his daughter, Haley. I also talked to Drs. Morman and Laster, therapists to the couple. Finally, I reviewed the written material presented to me by both parties in this case. This material consisted of letters, declarations, court documents etc. I will not list them individually here, as the stack of documents I perused stood approximately four inches high. The review of these documents took approximately three hours.
It is my understanding that Michael Grinberg and Lisa Cohen first met in January of 1987. Their daughter, Haley, was born December 20, 1988. The couple separated on October 7, 1989. On November 21, 1989, Ruth Hatcher, of San Diego Family Court Services, presented recommendations following an evaluation.
The recommendation was that there should be joint legal custody of Haley by both of the parents with primary physical custody to be with Haley’s mother. The report further recommended there would be monitored visitations of Haley with her father. There was a specific recommendation for a psychiatric evaluation, which might include psychological testing.
Dr. Grinberg was to undergo random drug testing in San Diego. Provisions for visitations by the paternal grandparents and the paternal aunt were also included. It is my understanding that from October 7, 1989 until March of 1900 [sic] Dr. Grinberg had no visitation with his daughter. Ms.Cohen stated the reason for the lack of visitation was because of disinterest on the part of Dr. Grinberg. Dr. Grinberg maintained Ms.Cohen was successful in her efforts to avoid visitation through legal machinations and accusations of various types against him.
Lisa alleges she is concerned about Haley’s safety because of Dr. Grinberg’s irrational behavior. Her original allegation was that Dr. Grinberg abused drugs. She also stated Dr. Grinberg physically abused her. She was concerned Dr. Grinberg might leave the country with Haley.
Dr. Grinberg stated he has not physically abused Ms. Cohen, but has only defended himself when she has physically attacked him. He also stated Lisa Cohen has done everything in her power to stop the visitations. At the present time it is my understanding that brief monitored visitation continues. Further, it is my understanding the monitor for such visitation has continued to be a hired monitor from a detective agency. That is, Ms. Cohen has not agreed to family members or friends acting as routines.
ClinicalEvaluationof Mike
Dr. Grinberg is the forty-year-old father of Haley Cohen Grinberg, the child at issue. He is self-employed as a physician. He works full time, but his hours are adjustable as needed. Dr. Grinberg began his session by telling me he and Haley’s mother separated on October 7, 1989, and that until approximately one week prior to our meeting, he has been unable to see his daughter. That is, from the time of separation until one week prior to our interview he had not seen his daughter. He stated the reason for this state of affairs was the fact that Lisa Cohen, the mother of Haley, and her attorney had constructed numerous obstacles to his visitation.
Michael Grinberg stated he and Lisa Cohen met in December of 1986. They began to live together. Lisa was approximately one month pregnant at the time. Two months later, his divorce from his prior wife, Sherri Hook, was finalized. Michael proposed marriage to and when Lisa accepted. The couple went on vacation to Moorea. This turned out to be a difficult trip and Lisa miscarried. At this time Dr. Grinberg stated he was already having difficulty with Lisa, in that she didn’t like the house he had. He stated subsequently, over the years of their involvement, they opened escrow on four houses, but, she was never satisfied.
Dr. Grinberg then continued to describe his frustration in his relationship with Lisa. He stated in October of 1987, Lisa again became pregnant, and he and Lisa obtained a marriage license. In December of 1987 Lisa again miscarried. In March of 1988 Haley was conceived, and a few month later a second marriage license was purchased. He stated there were always obstacles and difficulties that arose so that the marriage ceremony could never take place. For instance, in May of 1988, they planned a trip to Belize to be married there, but they found out they couldn’t be married legally there. Further difficulties occurred because of the rather primitive accommodations they encountered. Dr. Grinberg said it did not bother him, but Lisa became very unhappy.
Dr. Grinberg complained the first two pregnancies, which ended in miscarriages, were not completely accidentally in his opinion. He stated Lisa refused to take Thyroid, even though she knew she had thyroid difficulty. He stated the second pregnancy ended in a miscarriage in his opinion because Lisa did not take care of herself physically. He stated she is a workaholic, traveled constantly, carried heavy samples and, in his opinion, as a result of this the pregnant aborted. After the rough trip to Belize, Lisa went to her physician to complain he had been abusive to her by having her go on this trip, and it had been her opinion she might abort again.
Dr. Grinberg said that 1989 was a difficult year. He said Lisa was frequently out of town, and the nanny and he actually raised Haley. He stated he did not like where they were living and he tried to buy another home. He said eventually he was forced to buy a home because of the tax consequences as the result of the sale of his previous home. He states he bought a home he wanted and closed escrow on October 5, 1989. He said he could no longer wait for Lisa to make up her mind. He stated he hid the real estate dealings from her because he knew what would happen if he told her. However, according to Dr. Grinberg, Lisa broke in to his locked attaché’ case and found out about the home purchase (as I understand his version of what occurred.).
He said Lisa told him to move out immediately. It was Friday evening at 10pm. He said he would not leave that night, as he had no place to go. According to Dr. Grinberg, Ms. Cohen called the police three times that night, and finally they came to the house to investigate the possibility of domestic violence. Dr. Grinberg stated he was asleep when they came. On Monday morning he filed a police report regarding the Friday night incidents,
Friday night Lisa began throwing his clothes out and hit him. He stated she spent two to three thousand dollars a month on her clothes, so, he threatened to throw her clothes out if she continued to hit him. He also stated he called his brother so he would have a witness as to the fact that she was starting the altercation, not him. Finally he went to sleep, and it was then the police came. It is my understanding that nothing further of significance happened that night. According to Dr. Grinberg, he and Lisa tried to reconcile on Saturday.
He stated he told Lisa he was still going to move out and into his new home, but, he wished for her to come with him. It was his plan to spend a few months fixing up the new home. According to Dr. Grinberg, Lisa refused to move with him, and told him to move out immediately. Again, according to Dr. Grinberg, Lisa told him she was taking the baby and the nanny for two weeks on a trip, and while she was gone he could arrange to move his possessions into his new home.
However, Lisa requested she have the weekend prior to her leaving alone without him. Dr. Grinberg stated he came back three days later to pickup his belongings and found new locks on the door, a security guard present with a Restraining Order. He stated the Restraining Order was the result of Lisa’s allegations of domestic violence and accusations that he was involved with drugs and had tried to kill her. Dr. Grinberg called the San Diego Police Department and explained the situation to them. The SDPD said they would send an officer to let him into the house and to tell the security guard to leave. Two officers arrived and escorted him into the house and spoke with the security guard, who eventually remembered he had the Restraining Order to serve him.
When the police saw this Restraining Order they said he would have to leave and he was unable to get any of his clothes or belongings. According to Dr. Grinberg, an agreement was reached that he was allowed to have his belongings. However, he said the “movers “showed up with some clothes of his Lisa had originally thrown in the garage, but, very few of his other possessions. Eventually, another agreement was arrived at, and his other belongings were sent to him; included in the stuff sent to him were some of Lisa’s belongings.
Dr. Grinberg stated he knew he could not go back to Lisa’s home because of the Restraining Order. However, some of his friends stated they would go back because there was no Restraining Order against them. They returned to the home and evidently took some more of Dr. Grinberg’s things.
A few days later, Dr. Grinberg was contacted by San Diego Police Officer James A. Streams. Officer Streams stated he wished to question Dr. Grinberg regarding a “burglary.” Officer Streams stated in a sworn statement his investigation led him to the conclusion there might have been a misdemeanor committed, because of a violation of a Restraining Order. He specifically stated there was no burglary, that is, there was no felony. Dr. Grinberg pointed out one of his great frustrations is the fact that, in his opinion, he was not being dealt with fairly or honestly by Lisa and her attorney. As evidence of this opinion on his part, he presented the sworn statement presented by Officer Streams to the court by Lisa’s attorney, along with a second statement by Officer Streams, who said in that second statement, “I told Mr. Jackson I referred the matter to the City Attorney’s Office for possible prosecution of a violation of a court’s Restraining Order, a misdemeanor, not a burglary, a felony.
We discussed the matter back and forth. Eventually, Mr. Jackson changed the declaration to reflect the Restraining Order violation instead of a burglary. All references to any determination by me that I believed a felony had been committed (burglary) were to be deleted. Also, Dr. Grinberg did give his side of the incident, which I wanted in my statement.” Later in the declaration Officer Streams stated “On April 4, 1990, I was shown a copy of the Affidavit under my signature, which had been filed with the court. I was surprised to learn pages 1 and 2 of the original Affidavit, which I had expressly told Mr. Jackson himself that I would not sign, had been filed with the court attached to page 3 of the Affidavit which I had signed.” (It should be noted that Mr. Jackson always referred to the incident as a burglary even after Officer Streams’ second declaration.)
On November 7, 1989, Lisa Cohen filed a declaration in Superior Court stating Dr. Grinberg was an extremely violent man, that he had threatened to kill her repeatedly, that he had threatened to take Haley from her, that he had refused to pay any of the medical costs, that he had never taken an interest in Haley, that he lacked even the basic parenting skills and was a danger to Haley, that he had burglarized her home and that the relationship had been an abusive relationship for three years.
On November 15, Lisa Cohen filed a declaration that Dr. Grinberg was physically abusive and showed a total disregard for human life, that he is diabolical in his schemes, that he is a danger to himself through drug abuse, and that he is an emotionally disturbed individual in desperate need of psychotherapy. Attached to that declaration was a declaration of Trinidad Santana Zanchez who was the nanny for Haley. This declaration supported the declaration of Ms. Cohen. (It should be noted Dr. Grinberg had objected to Ms. Zanchez as a nanny, as he felt she was inappropriate in her behavior with the infant. He cited his understanding Trinidad had said she put urine on the baby’s face and participated in other folklore type behavior, including genital stimulation.
When Lisa continued to employ Trinidad; Dr. Grinberg reported Ms. Zanchez to the INS.. On October 16, 1989, one month prior to the filing of the declaration, Ms. Zanchez, as a result of Dr. Grinberg’s report to the INS, was arrested by immigration agents in Dallas, where she had gone with Lisa and the baby. In her declaration Ms. Zanchez states, “I will never forgive him for calling the INS for God’s sake, he is the one that hired me. Let him spend two days and one night in jail like me. Perhaps he will see the light
.”Other declarations were presented by Lisa Cohen. George Sandwich, MD, presented a declaration regarding what he considered to be out-of-control behavior of Dr. Grinberg. It is my understanding Dr. Sandwich never examined Dr. Grinberg, and this declaration was based solely on reports given to him by Ms.Cohen. A declaration was presented by Miriam L. Losupobici, an MFCC and MSW. Ms. Iosupobici in her declaration, stated she had seen Lisa on and off in therapy since May of 1981.
She did not see Ms. Cohen from 1983 until the end of 1987. It was the therapist’s opinion, based on reports by Lisa, that Dr. Grinberg was abusing Lisa in that he “was unwilling to commit himself to a permanent relationship.” She also stated Dr. Grinberg had given her an ultimatum that if she did not sell a condominium and move in with him, he would leave her. (I was somewhat confused by the fact that, on one hand Dr. Grinberg was supposedly not committing himself to the relationship, and, on the other hand, he was demanding Lisa live with him.) Ms. Iosupobici stated it was her opinion Dr. Grinberg’s stating he would break up with Lisa if she would not move in with him was, “abusive behavior
.”In January of 1988, again according to the therapist, Lisa stated in December of 1987, Dr. Grinberg had attempted to strangle her.(One would have expected Lisa to have complained about such a significant occurrence prior to the elapsed time.) Ms. Iosupobici also stated she was unhappy with Dr. Grinberg because Dr. Grinberg had told Lisa to stop seeing her as she was not as qualified as other mental health specialists. (From what I can see, I would agree.) During this time the therapist had been advising Lisa to leave Dr. Grinberg. It was the therapist’s prediction Dr. Grinberg could seriously harm the baby. It is my understanding from the declaration the therapist never interviewed Dr. Grinberg directly
A declaration by Dr. E. Zomorrodi, the obstetrician of Lisa Cohen, was also presented. Dr. Zomorrodi stated prior to her second miscarriage Lisa came to her office and she noticed Lisa had red marks on her neck and black and blue marks on her left arm. Lisa told her Dr. Grinberg had tried to strangle her and she tried to get away. She stated Lisa said Dr. Grinberg grabbed her and squeezed her arm like an orange. A declaration was also presented by Marilyn Fox, who worked with Lisa Cohen. She stated Lisa described how Michael had attacked her on June 30, 1989 with the resultant black and blue marks on her neck and upper left arm.
The declaration of Dr. Steven Dimarzo stated on August 10, 1988 there were black and blue marks on Lisa’s neck. He stated Ms. Cohen had stated Michael Grinberg had attempted to strangle her the week previously. He stated this was consistent with other complaints Lisa had made during the pregnant. I was also presented with documents showing Dr. Grinberg had a traffic violation, which Lisa’s attorney felt was evidence that he had shown disregard for the safety and welfare of other motorists (Dr. Grinberg was permitted by the court to go to traffic school, which he did.)
Also presented by Lisa Cohen and her attorney were documents alleging Dr. Grinberg fraudulently changed Haley’s name on the birth certificate. (Dr. Grinberg presented to me a note signed by Lisa, dated April 3, 1987 stating, “To Whom It May Concern, the name on the birth certificate is incorrect. It is to read as follows: Haley Anne Cohen-Grinberg. Hope this problem will be corrected. Sincerely, Lisa A. Cohen.” Also presented was a signed birth certificate dated December 20, 1988. The birth certificates read “Haley Anne Cohen Grinberg. The last name was Cohen Grinberg.
Evidently, the argument was whether the last name should be Cohen Grinberg, or Cohen-Grinberg, or the middle name should be Cohen and the first name be Haley Suzanne. There was a declaration attached which stated the records person at the hospital changed the name at the direction of Dr. Grinberg, who was on staff. As the result of some, but not all, of the declarations mentioned, Ruth Hatcher of Family Court Services recommended in a report dated November 21, 1989, that there be a psychiatric evaluation, and that there should be joint legal custody, with physical custody of Haley with Lisa Cohen pending the psychiatric evaluation. She also recommended that during the time Haley would be in town, that is, not on trips with her mother,
Dr. Grinberg would be permitted to have four daylight hours of supervised contact with Haley as frequently as every other day. Further, the supervision would be done by the Reliance Detective Agency and the visitation would take place as the father’s work schedule and the availability of the monitor. The recommendation also stated Dr. Grinberg shall undergo a “standard random drug program and assessment at the San Diego Health Alliance over a period of one month during and throughout the entire month of December commencing December 1, 1989.
On November 29, 1989, Mr. Veltmann, Dr. Grinberg’s attorney, had a letter hand-delivered to Mr. Jackson, attorney for Lisa Cohen. In that letter Mr. Veltmamn said, “This letter will confirm that we made a request on the morning of November 28, 1989 that Ms.Cohen make available Haley for visitation for the Alliance Detective Agency from 6:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m.
After a few more phone calls we were apprised the time would not be ‘convenient’ for Ms.Cohen. In addition, your law clerk appraised my paralegal Ms. Cohen would not be providing notice of her schedule pursuant to the court order. Instead, your law clerk insisted on being provided with Dr.Grinberg’s schedule, something that was not ordered by the Court .“This letter is to confirm our office contacting your office on November 29, 1989 to indicate Dr. Grinberg is available to exercise visitation with Haley on the following dates and times and requesting you to notify us by the close of this day of which days and times Ms. Cohen will make the child available:”
There then is a list of eleven dates, which include November 29, 1989, and then December 1 through December 11, 1989. It is my understanding another letter was sent on December 21, 1989 in which seven more dates between December 22 and January 4 were given. On December 28, 1989, Mr. Veltmann sent a letter to the San Diego Health Alliance stating that because of legal dispute they had not received the original order for the testing of Dr. Grinberg, but, he would make himself available for the required testing
Dr. Grinberg did make himself available for random testing by SDPD, and such testing was done on January 12, January 19, January 25 and February 1, 1990. He was tested for opiates, barbiturates, amphetamines and cocaine. All the tests were negative. In the later part of December, Ms. Cohen filed a number of declarations regarding Dr. Grinberg. These included something about his possession of guns, the possibility he was stalking Mr.Jackson, etc.
One declaration was from Jolie Best whose declaration stated Michael Grinberg is “a violent man with strange sexual behavior.” Ms. Best was a roommate of Dr. Grinberg. Dr.Grinberg took Ms. Best to Small Claims Court because of her lack of paying her share of the rent. Dr. Grinberg contention was that this declaration was filed as a result of that action on his part. Ms. Best stated Dr. Grinberg attacked her at his office when she came to pay the rent after the Small Claims Court Judgment. Dr.Grinberg stated she disrupted his work with a patient; and he merely tried to get her out of his office.
On December 30, 1989, Dr. Grinberg sent a letter to Mr.Hurray Bloom, Director of Family Court Services. In that letter Dr. Grinberg states, “the Temporary Visitations Supervision Order is simply not workable, given the Alliance Detective Agency is essentially a one-man operation, and he is not very available; and given the major impediments to any communication between Lisa Cohen and I, due to the interposition of two attorney’s offices and her traveling schedule.
By the time I nearly get a visitation set up, the targeted date passes and I am more frustrated. ”Dr. Grinberg stated if supervision is felt to be necessary, could not there be other alternatives, such as friends, family or even a licensed psychotherapist.
On January 2, 1990, Mr. Veltmann submitted a declaration stating, “the defendant has submitted via the letter of November 29, 1989, dates consisting of eleven over a period of twenty days that were convenient to Dr. Grinberg. In return, there were several telephone conferences between the staff of both attorney offices and impasses due to the plaintiff’s assumption the visitation must also be convenient to her.
On January 11, 1990, J.R. Krikorin; Supervising Manager of Alliance Detective Agency, wrote a declaration stating, “to date, Dr. Grinberg has refused to exercise any visitation, although perspective dates and times have been provided to him by the Law Office of Craig Jackson.”“Dr. Grinberg is uncooperative over the phone with us, claiming we are unresponsive, yet, he refuses to take even the most basic steps to effectuate Child Visitation.”
Attached to the declaration is a long list of the Agency’s prerequisites,which must be fulfilled prior to visitation. On March 30, 1990, Dr. Grinberg filed a declaration stating because of the repeated Ex Parte Hearings and other legal proceedings his legal costs have soared to the place where he could no longer pay for attorney services. It was for that reason he continued on in theLitigation Pro per. However, he had recently retained Ms. Blueshoe, his current attorney, and was again requesting visitation. Dr. Grinberg stated he had tried to exercise his visitation rights. He would inform his attorney of the times he was available for visits. His attorney would inform Mr. Jackson, who would then try to get in touch long distance, with petitioner who was constantly traveling. Then Mr. Jackson would call Mr. Veltrmann, who would then call him. He stated by that time the date requested by the detective agency would have past. He stated this scenario, or part of it, had curried at least on three occasions, and he had become frustrated with the futility of it
He pointed out his request for less restricted supervised visits, that is, supervision by someone other than that of the detective agency was refused. Dr. Grinberg then went on to point out how petitioner also found other times “inconvenient” or had other excuses to deny visitation. In addition, she was often traveling with Haley.
In the declaration Dr. Grinberg went on to discuss the difficulties with Golie Best. He described his version of how Ms. Best, after he received ajudgment against her for back rent, had barged into his confidential therapy sessions, then banged on the door of his office until he had to evict her. He stated she slammed the office door on her own hand and then tried to prosecute him for that, but it was unsuccessful. Dr. Grinberg stated and repeated to me that Lisa Cohen’s evidence that she was physically abused was based solely upon what she told her witnesses.
None of the people who wrote the Declarations spoke directly to him, and there were no witnesses to the acts which she stated occurred. Dr. Grinberg stated, “In fact, the three acts of domestic violence which did occur in our relationship resulted in my being injured. Petitioner first hit me in the back of the head with a telephone. (The next day she apologized and bought me a new phone.) The second event occurred when she grabbed the steering wheel of our moving car, and significantly endangered my life and our child’s life as well as her own. I have a picture of the scratches which she inflicted upon me at that time, and five of my family members witnessed these scratches only fifteen minutes later.
These same people will testify that petitioner had no bloody nose. The third incident of violence was when petitioner broke into my locked briefcase and discovered that I had just purchased my residence because I wanted to get away from her. She hit me in the back, nearly knocking me down the stairwell. The Court should be aware that I am not the only person she has alleged abused her.
Petitioner repeatedly told me that her mother hit her with baseball bats; her brother broke her nose on purpose and frequently beat her; her boy friend, Matthew, shoved her down the San Diego State University Library steps and frequently beat her; and her boy friend, Steven, frequently beat her. I do not know the truth of all these allegations, but I suspect that they are exaggerated and misconstrued, as are the allegations about me.”
On April 17, 1990, Lisa Cohen filed a responsive declaration. In that declaration, Lisa Cohen stated, “Defendant Grinberg has never attempted to exercise visitation since our separation on October 8, 1989, until early March 1990. (underlining mine) Most of the ‘purported’ attempts to exercise visitation, with which defendant Grinberg never cooperated, were made by Attorney Veltmann.”At another point, Ms. Cohen stated, “Defendant Grinberg’s first attempt to `implement’ visitation was made on March 1, 1990 by a telephone call with Alliance Detective Agency. I believe tha the attempted to do so only when he found out through mutual friends that I was attempting to rebuild my business after the turmoil to which she [sic] has subjected me.”
On April 13, 1990, Jimmy Stream, a San Diego Police Officer,wrote in declaration that his original declaration had bee naltered by Mr. Jackson’s office. He stated that in his original declaration he had stated that there was a question of possible misdemeanor for violation of a restraining order when friends of Dr. Grinberg had gone to his former home to retrieve some of his personal belongings. He stated that he specifically told Mr. Jackson that there was no evidence of a “burglary.”
In a declaration of April 11, 1990, Dr. Steven Pizzaro stated with regard to his prior declaration that he had no evidence other than Lisa’s statement that the marks on Lisa’s neck were caused by Dr. Grinberg. He went on to state
“The prior declaration implies that Lisa told me ‘a number of times’ that Dr.Grinberg was both non-supportive and ‘abusive’. Several times during her pregnancy Lisa did comment to me that she felt Dr. Grinberg was ‘nonsupportive’. However, the only time she commented that he was ‘abusive’ was the time I noticed the marks.” “In my opinion, my contacts with Dr. Grinberg have never given me any reason to think that he should be denied contact with the child.
”In a declaration of April 11, 1990, Richard Miller, Visitation Supervisor of the Alliance Detective Agency wrote an update of the relationship of the Alliance Detective Agency regarding Dr. Grinberg’s attempts to obtain supervised visitation with his daughter.
“On March 1, 1990, Dr. Grinberg called our offices to make an appointment to contract with our firm for visits with his daughter. The appointment was made at 11:00 a.m.. on Monday, March 5, 1990. On the date of the appointment, Dr. Grinberg executed our agreement and provided our firm with a written request regarding times, dates and locations he was requesting his supervised visits. His request was given to Lisa Cohen, who denied his request. Dr. Grinberg made another appointment on March 13, 1990,and again requested in written form, additional dates, times and locations for our agency to provide supervised visits. We submitted the request to Lisa Cohen and again she denied the request. (underlining mine). Since that date we have not had any further conversation with Dr. Grinberg.
Since March 1, our Agency has received full cooperation with Dr. Grinberg. He has complied with all our company requirementsregarding the procedures we follow. However, as of this date, our agency has not been provided permission by Lisa Cohen (mother of the child) to conduct any of the requested visitation.” (under lining mine).
On April 25, 1990, Mr. Jackson wrote in a declaration,“from December 20, 1989 (the birth of the child) until May 1, 1990 defendant has made no attempts to “see the child, let alone care for the child or even support her.” (underlining mine). See page 2, lines 11-13,of declaration of Robert L. Miller, Visitation Supervisor, Alliance Detective Agency, executed April 11, 1990, marked as Exhibit“A”, (which was filed by defendant in support of his Motion for Reconsideration), and which states, ‘since March 1, our Agency has received full cooperation with Dr. Grinberg. He has (finally)(this word was not in Mr. Miller’s declaration) complied with all our company requirements regarding the procedures we followed. On April 23, 1990, Mr. Jackson declared, “At the November16, 1989 Court Hearing the Honorable Thomas Ashworth, III, presiding judge, ruled that Defendant Grinberg’s taking of Plaintiff ’s property was a burglary.” Mr. Jackson then goes on to “Jimmy Stream’s declaration filed on November 15, 1989.” It is interesting that on April 19, 1990, Officer Stream’s declaration was filed in which he specifically stated that Mr. Jackson had changed his declarationof November 1989 from the declaration that he had signed.
Also about this time there was a further series of Declarations and Responsive Declarations regarding accusations that Dr.Grinberg was lying about trying to get records to Mr. Jackson. The issue revolved around a Ms. Burtein, who stated in one declaration that the documents were refused by Mr. Jackson’s office when she delivered them. However, later she stated that they were not actually delivered but a phone call was made to his office and she was told that they would not be accepted. For some reason, this became a very important issue regarding whether Dr. Grinberg should be allowed to visit his daughter.
In our interview, Dr. Grinberg discussed some of the material discussed above. He stated that he was very frustrated and upset with the Court proceedings. He considered Mr. Jackson to be unethical. He stated that Mr. Jackson had filed false Declarations.He stated that Mr. Jackson had “papered the Court”and run up huge legal bills which he cannot afford to pay .Dr. Grinberg stated that it was true that he had thought he had been set up because of the monitor that was selected and insisted upon by Ms. Cohen.
He stated that the detective agency in his mind was the same detective agency that had placed a security guard at the home at the beginning of the litigation. He said that communication with regard to setting up visitation was all but impossible. He stated that when he tried to make visitation arrangements, Lisa had taken the baby with her on her business travels which took her out of state l5 days or more a month. At the time that he met me, Dr. Grinberg stated that it turned out that this time the detective agency had been very cooperative and friendly with regard to the visitations.
Dr. Grinberg stated that at one point in the court proceedings, Lisa’s attorney had said that he had attacked him with a switch blade knife. He stated that in fact he was in Court that day working and that the sign-in sheet verified that he was there and not with the attorney, as the attorney claimed. Dr. Grinberg said that Lisa had always told him that she was making a million dollars a year but that now she states she has no money what so ever. He stated that he does not have enough money to do appropriate discovery.
Dr. Grinberg stated that Lisa had called patients of his and bothered them. He said that she has ruined his practice and that she has been vindictive in all ways. Dr. Grinberg stated that his daughter didn’t remember him when he began to visit, and that they now are getting along well and she seems to be remembering him. Dr. Grinberg stated that he did do one thing that he thought was poor judgment on his part. He said that the Nanny was an illegal alien. He described her as becoming extremely possessive of Haley and that it became annoying to him and Lisa. He described how Lisa at one point said that she saw Trini, the nanny, playing with Haley’s genitals. He said he became very up set and told Lisa that she had to do something about that but that Lisa would not allow for anything to be done. He said that Lisa had a habit of accusing everyone of doing bizarre things so that he did not even know if what she had said about Trini was true. He said that another time he was told that Trini rubbed the baby’s urine on the baby’s face. Dr. Grinberg said that he became increasingly upset with the idea of Trini taking care of his baby and because of that he turned her into the INS. He said that Trini became very angry and that in his mind he shouldn’t have done what he did.
Dr. Grinberg told me that he grew up in Kansas City. He has a sister thirty-six and a brother twenty-nine. He himself is forty. He went to San Diego to go to Medical School after he had graduated from Brandies. His father is a salesman. He stated that while he was growing up he was very close to his paternal grandfather. He said he was not that close to his mother who was a rebel in her family and who in his mind did not have good relationships with him. Michael told me that he got along very well with his brotherand sister as he was growing up and at the present time. His parents were divorced at the time of his graduation, even though he was supposed to give the valedictory speech.
He was a RegencyScholar from out of state. He stated that he did not realize the difficulties about his mother until later in his life. He met a woman at college. He was a sophomore and she was a freshman. They lived together for the next two years and they married between their junior and senior years. He went to medical school and became very occupied. She became very lonely. The marriage went down hill and they divorced after three years in San Diego.
He then met Sherri, his second wife. It was 1983. She was four years older than he. She had two children from a previous marriage. She had an amicable divorce. He dated her for one year. They lived together for a while and then they got married. He stated that they argued a lot but had a lot of good times. He wanted to have children but she did not. He stated that they still have a good relationship. She was a social worker. He said Lisa was convinced that they had continued their relationship even though they only remained friends.
Dr. Grinberg stated that he was the oldest child in the family and he helped raise his brother from infancy. He stated that Lisa, who was the baby in her family, knew nothing about raising children and it was he who taught her how to take care of the child. At the same time he said that he is sure she is a dedicated and loving mother. Nevertheless he said he was offended that she said he didn’t know anything about children where in fact it was quite the reverse. Dr. Grinberg appeared at the interviews appropriately dressed. His speech was logical, coherent and relevant. He had no unusual mannerisms of speech or behavior. His affect was appropriate to the material discussed. He was cooperative and friendly. He was not seductive. I did not find him manipulative.
It was clear in my contact with Dr. Grinberg that he was extremely frustrated. I did feel that he had a tendency to get angry easily. However, he was never angry in the manner of being threatening, violent or inappropriate. Rather, his anger was contained. After reviewing the situation in which Dr. Grinberg was accused of being violent, hostile, a sex pervert, a drug addict, etc., and prevented from seeing his daughter for approximately seven months, one might understand that perhaps be would be quite frustrated.
Ms. Cohen is a thirty-five year-o1d woman who owns her own business. It is my understanding that she travels extensively as a part of that business. Ms. Cohen began the session by telling me that she was very concerned about her daughter, Haley, being with her father, Michael Grinberg. She stated that Dr. Grinberg is physically and verbally abusive, has poor judgment and that she thinks that Michael will kill her
She stated, “I’m not the only woman Michael has hurt.” She stated that Michael has a history of being abusive to women. Lisa Cohen told me that she had fallen in love with Michael three times. She stated that she had a miscarriage the day before Christmas in 1987 and she called him and he came two and a half hours later and only waited twenty minutes. She stated that her mother came and got her. She stated that Michael begged her to come back to him. She said that she was sad the next morning and he was angry. They got in an argument and she threw his phone on the floor.
(Dr. Grinberg stated that she threw the phone at him and hit him in the back of the head. He also stated that the next day she apologized and bought him a new phone.) Lisa Cohen said that Dr. Grinberg then “strangled me.” Ms. Cohen said that her mother came and got her. She stated that Michael was a psychiatrist so he could get away with such behavior. She also said that his excuse was that she bruised easily and that he did not take responsibility for his own actions. Lisa described how she was “scared to death of him.”
She stated that he had been financially abusing her and that she had been asking him to leave the home for a long time prior to the separation. Ms. Cohen said that in order to frighten her he showed her pictures of a patient who castrated himself. She said he showed her a VCR of a police officer who had blown his wife’s brains out. He said that they should put Haley in a Skinner Box and that they should “shape her skull.”
On June 30, 1989, another episode of physical abuse occurred, according to Lisa. She stated that she had told Michael she would take Haley to the home of his father and his sister. However, on the way there he began to strangle her. She said she started to black out. She said he smacked her face and said, “You’ll be dead.” (Dr. Grinberg’s description of the episode was that Lisa grabbed the steering wheel of the moving car and significantly endangered his life as well as Haley’s and her own. He further said that he had pictures of the scratches which she inflicted upon him, and that five of his family members witnessed these scratches only fifteen minutes later. He stated that these people will testify that, although Lisa had said she had a bloody nose she indeed did not have one.)
Lisa described to me how she had statements from physicians who would back up her story. (These Declarations have been described previously.)Lisa told me that she met Michael when her mother put a Personal ad in a newspaper. She had been going out with someone but the relationship was not working. She stated that Michael wrote a four page letter back to her. She stated that he was married at the time, but she went out with him because he was separated. He then told her that they shared the office together and then shelter found out he was still married and she stopped going with him. However, when he and his wife split up she did start dating him again. She said in late May 1987 she slept with him for the first time. Two months later she found out she was pregnant. She said that he didn’t tell her that he had herpes.
Dr. Grinberg proposed to her and they went to Tahiti. She had a miscarriage after they returned from Tahiti, and according to Lisa Michael insisted that she move in with him although head five roommates. She said he insisted that she pay $2000 a month rent. However, she stated that his roommates were into drugs and nude Jacuzzis. Lisa stated that Dr. Grinberg blamed the miscarriage on her. She stated that she was very “baby hungry.” Her dog had died and she had lost her best friend. She said she got pregnant again. She left home and stayed with her mother and she had a second miscarriage that was the day before Christmas 1987. She said that her doctor had told her to take it easy for the period of twelve weeks and she asked him to help with her bills and he would not do so. She said that was the time of the “first strangulation.”
Lisa said she returned to her relationship with Michael because Sherri, his second wife, had an abortion without his knowledge and that she felt the reason he was so angry was because of that fact. Lisa got pregnant again in April of 1988. They were going to Hawaii to get married. However, Michael decided that they should go to Belize instead. She stated that on the trip she started to bleed but Michael insisted that they go into the jungle because the accommodations were cheaper. She stated that she bounced so much in the car that she hit her head on the roof. She stated that she started crying because she was so upset. She stated at one time she was swimming and 60 soldiers came to look at her and the soldiers were kicking a pregnant dog and looking at her as if they were going to do the same thing to her. On the fifth day of the trip, according to Lisa, she called her mother and Michael got furious with herein May of 1988 she decided she did not want to marry him,
In June of 1988 they again started talking of marriage, and began to look at expensive homes. She stated that Michael had a girlfriend in Boston and she found a letter in which she and Michael were going to have a trip to Big Sur. She also stated that when she was pregnant, Sherri was pregnant. Rosalie was the girl in Boston and Lisa read Rosalie’s letter to her mother. She said Sherri was angry at Michael because of Rosalie, and she thought that the whole complex of circumstances sounded like the doings of white trash.”
Lisa bought a house and left Michael, but when she was packing they began to argue. He said that she was leaving because of the money, which was not the case. She said she threw a tape and a scissors under the table and Michael “straddled me and began to strangle me.” He then called Lisa’s mother and told her to get her daughter and “your crazy dog.” While they were waiting for her mother, he grabbed the dog and slammed the door on her. Her arms were black and blue and she said a doctor saw her following this incident. As she was telling me the story, she became tearful. She said that she became very withdrawn and felt humiliated and tried to find out why Michael was doing this to her. Lisa told me that Michael said that with a baby she would have to “think of yourself as a single mom.”She stated that following this incident in August of 1988, she saw an attorney and talked about getting an abortion. She said anew days later, Michael told her either “you come with me, or I am leaving with Rosalie.” She stated Michael did not participate in the pregnancy. She would have to pick up boxes and in general endanger the pregnant.
Eventually her OB/GYN put her in the hospital. When she got out of the hospital she was to be on bedrest; however, Michael insisted she go shopping with him. At one time he got mad and took the car and left her all by herself. Lisa said that when she was in labor Michael said he was “bored” and left and her friend Janice came to help her. Lisa described how two nights after the baby was born Michael pushed her because she wanted Cohen put on the birth certificate, and that if they got married, she would put Grinberg on the birth certificate. Lisa stated that Michael was like her mother when she was young. Her mother was crippled and in pain, and would say terrible things to her, and she would become a good little girl and behave properly.
Lisa said that Michael later changed the name on the birth certificate against her wishes. He got away with it because he was a doctor. (From what I noticed, she did not object to the name Grinberg on the birth certificate, and the entire argument was whether Cohen should be considered a middle name or should be hyphenated into the last name. There was a note in her handwriting that did write the name Lisa Anne Cohen Grinberg. It is my understanding that this note was attached to the application for a change in the birth certificate.)
Lisa stated that after Haley was born, Dr. Grinberg would not pay for any medical bills, and he would tell her that he would put a plastic bag over her when she was asleep. She also said that Michael wanted her to force feed Haley with a turkey aster, that he wanted to take Haley jet skiing when she was an infant. Lisa said that, “From November 1989 until March 1990, he didn’t try to see her we were in court, but he wasn’t trying to see her.” She said that he was entitled to see her every other day for four hours from November to March, but elected not to do so.(From my reading of the record, this is a gross distortion of the facts.) Lisa described how there was “a screw-up in the declaration.”She said that a first year law student made a minor change and that he was trying to make a big deal out of it. She said the minor change was only changing the fact that he had violated are straining order to alleging that he had committed a burglary. Her attorney continually harped on the fact that he had committed burglary, and never pointed out that it was only a possible misdemeanor of not adhering to a restraining order when he tried to recoup his belongings from their home.)
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