Defying Death: Sandra Grazzini-Rucki Comes Out of Hiding to Plead for Lives of Her Children, Demand Justice

 Defying Death: Sandra Grazzini-Rucki Coming out of Hiding to Plead for the Lives and Safety of her Children, and to Demand Justice

Domestic Violence, Stalking, Threats, Courts and State Agencies Covering Up Child Abuse, Financial Fraud, Collusion, Judges Breaking the Law…

How has this been allowed to happen within Minnesota’s ‘justice’ system?

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, a stay-at-home mother of five children, suffered 20+ years of extreme physical, sexual, emotional abuse, and cruelty, at the hands of her violent and controlling husband, David Rucki. Rucki’s abuse was also inflicted on the children, including three who were murdered after he brutally beat Sandra while pregnant, causing miscarriage.

One of Sandra’s daughters (who ran away due to the abuse) has said about her father: “He (Rucki) threw her against the wall (Sandra) and said he was going to kill her but didn’t want to face the consequences…”

“He’s (Rucki) lost it on us kids a number of times.. He threw Nia (sister) onto a couch and started choking her, and she’s 11….” A Child’s Desperate Cry for Help: 2013 Audio of S.R. Begging for Protection from Abusive Father, Dakota County Family Court

Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

Rucki’s dangerous behavior towards his family, and the public, is well established and includes a lengthy CPS file documenting incidents of abuse against the children, numerous protective orders filed against him (including a protective order banning Rucki from harassing children at a local daycare), and surveillance photos capturing incidents of stalking and harassment,among other evidence. Rucki also has a lengthy criminal history that includes multiple police reports filed against him as well as convictions for violent offenses. Rucki is not only a danger to Sandra, and the children, but to the community as well. (See: The definitive dossier documenting David Rucki’s violence: 99 pages of police reports, orders for protection, letters, affidavits, and more…)

In 2011, Sandra divorced Rucki, agreeing to walk away from their multi-million dollar business and monetary holdings in order to escape his abuse. Sandra asked only for custody of the five children, seeking to safely rebuild their lives.

Judge David L Knutson (Dakota County, MN)

The Grazzini-Rucki divorce was presided over by Judge David L Knutson, personally chosen by Rucki. Judge Knutson has consistently given special treatment to Rucki, breaking the law to do so, and enabled a dangerous abuser to re-victimize Sandra, and the children, using the court system as a weapon. As a result of proceedings, Sandra has been forcibly separated from her children, made homeless and destitute, all personal assets and property seized and given to Rucki, targeted for attempted murder, extreme harassment, and stalked by the ex-husband who promised to “see her dead”. –This all happening with the assistance of Minnesota’s judges and justice system.

David Rucki

David Rucki is wealthy and well-connected, and has gained the protection and assistance of the Minnesota court system and its corrupt judges, along with others at various levels of the state and local, and even federal government. Those colluding in the Grazzini-Rucki case have broken numerous laws and violated Constitutional rights without impunity – acting together to assist in the destruction of Sandra, who has bravely spoken out to expose the corruption, and demanded that her children be protected from abuse.

Throughout court proceedings, the children bravely came forward to disclose physical, sexual, and mental abuse from their father. At every level, under orders from Judge Knutson, the court and its professionals (GAL, therapists, doctors, CPS, police, etc) not only failed to protect the children but worked to force them back into the custody of Rucki, a man so dangerous that he once threatened to shoot them all.

The reckless actions of the court caused such fear that in April 2013, the two oldest daughters ran away, and went into hiding for 2 years, to escape their father’s abuse. (See: The court created horror of the five Rucki children)

Incredibly, after being recovered, the children again spoke up about the abuse only to be placed back into the custody of Rucki, where they remain trapped to this day.

Sandra was criminally charged for her role in assisting her oldest daughters; she raised the affirmative defense that her actions were taken to protect her children from imminent harm. She encountered even more injustice in criminal proceedings, notably that the trial judge disallowed evidence and testimony that would show Rucki’s abuse, and support her defense. The trial was also troubled with jury tampering, prosecutorial misconduct, and Rucki even threatened witnesses on the steps of the courthouse. Sandra was found guilty in a trial so outrageous that it has been called a “rigged trial” and the judge presiding over it declared the “personal judge of David Rucki”.

Against all odds, Sandra has survived and now is speaking out in this video to share her incredible story. Coming out of hiding, Sandra pleads for someone to intervene to protect her children and pursue criminal actions against David Rucki, and those conspiring and colluding with him to commit various crimes.

Source: http://ww2.carshdwallpaper.info

We need the public’s assistance to hold the David Rucki, the courts, and all others, held accountable and to help the children receive justice – visit the link below for suggestions on how you can help: How You Can Help Sandra Grazzini-Rucki Fight for Justice

Also write a letter to the public officials listed below to voice your thoughts, and complaints, on the Grazzini-Rucki case.

CONTACTS:

ABC 20/20 – Share your thoughts on the slanted reporting in “Footprints in the Snow”. 20/20 also sent the message that children who report abuse could be “brainwashed” and not truthful about what they have experienced:

ABC President Channing Dungey: channing.dungey@abc.com

Sean Dooley- producer 20/20 sean.dooley@abc.com

Beth Mullen- 20/20 producer beth.a.mullen@abc.com

 

DAKOTA COUNTY:

James Backstrom, Dakota County Prosecutor – attorney@co.dakota.mn.us

Beau Berentson, public affairs officer for the Minnesota Courts – beau.berentson@courts.state.mn.us

Monica Jenson, public affairs officer for the Dakota County Prosecutor – monica.jensen@co.dakota.mn.us

Tim Leslie, Dakota County Sheriff – (651) 438-4710, tim.leslie@co.dakota.mn.us

Marybeth Schubert, public affair officer for Dakota County – marybeth.schubert@co.dakota.mn.us

 

STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Lori Swanson, Attorney General for Minnesota – attorney.general@ag.state.mn.us

Dave Oney, public affairs officer for the US Marshals Minnesota Court of Appeals (651) 296-2581 – dave.oney@usdoj.gov

Lakeville Mayor Doug P Anderson (952) 985-4410 or danderson@lakevillemn.gov

Staff Directory, City of Lakeville, Minnesota

Minnesota Board of Judicial Standards Timothy Gephart, Chair judicial.standards@state.mn.us

________________________

(Note: Video Shared by Coalition for Justice. E-mail: defingdeath@protonmail.com)

Unwarranted: Was the Arrest Warrant Against Sandra Grazzini-Rucki Improperly Handled?

In August 2015, a sealed warrant for the arrest of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki was “accidentally” posted on the public webpage of the Dakota County Sheriff’s office leading to the warrant being widely published, and shared, in news media outlets across the country.

Sensitive information about the sealed warrant was also given to abusive ex-husband, David Rucki, from The Star Tribune. This means that David was given information, and knew about, the arrest warrant BEFORE Sandra did. 

Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie claims the leak was just a “glitch”. Dakota County’s mishanding of Sandra’s arrest warrant is NOT just a “glitch” – it is a serious error that has violated Sandra’s due process rights, and the questionable way the arrest warrant was handled may have greater legal implications.

Could this “glitch” cost Dakota County their case against Sandra? A recent court ruling states that improper service is grounds for dismissal; certainly in this case, there was not only improper service but outright negligence to protect information so sensitive that the judge ordered the warrant to be sealed. 

Dakota County Sheriff Tim Leslie (courtesy photo)

 

Signed, Sealed, but NOT Delivered

When someone is suspected of a crime, law enforcement obtains a warrant of arrest which is a document signed by a judge authorizing the detention of an individual, or authorizing the search and seizure of an individual’s property.

In the case of Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, a nation wide warrant for arrest was submitted by Prosecuting Attorney Kathryn M. Keena before a judge, and put under a seal on August 12, 2015. Sandra was charged with 3 counts of felony deprivation of parental rights. According to Keena a seal was needed “because disclosure could cause defendant to flee, hide, or otherwise prevent execution of the warrant”. The seal was to last until Sandra is arrested, and returned to the state.

Amended Warrant Against Sandra Grazzini-Rucki

NOTE: Sandra is a flight attendant with an impeccable service record; she works with the public in her job, and has never been a danger to anyone. Just the opposite, Sandra has a reputation for providing a high quality care to customers, and is known for her easy smile, and gentle approach. Sandra has been staying in Florida in between flights, she has a squeaky-clean background, and has no prior criminal history.  

Kathryn M. Keena, C-Span: http://www.c-span.org/person/?kathrynkeena

Was a Sealed Warrant Necessary?

A seal means that the warrant is filed in secret, and its existence will not be made public. The subject of the warrant has no idea that they are wanted on charges until they are apprehended. A sealed warrant is usually reserved for special circumstances where public knowledge may jeopardize the investigation and/or issuance of the warrant.

Putting a seal on an arrest warrant is NOT a common procedure; and is even more extraordinary when used against an ordinary Minnesota Mom. Sandra has no prior criminal history, and has attended all scheduled court dates (related to ongoing custody issues) – even travelling from out of state to do so. Sandra has also worked at the same job for over 20 years, and maintains a stable lifestyle. She posed absolutely no risk of danger to anyone, and was certainly not a flight risk. 

Further, the police knew exactly where to find Sandra – according to the police report, the Lakeville police had previously issued search warrants for the airline she worked for, and had no problem finding out her address, phone number, bank account information and employment information. Sandra was being monitored before the warrant was issued. While this was happening, Sandra maintained her normal routine, and did not display any signs that she would evade any legal process.

A summons to appear at a court date would have been sufficient, rather than going to these unnecessary and costly, efforts used by Dakota County. Further, criminal charges are NOT evidence of guilt.  A defendant/suspect is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Somebody’s Watching Me… (Free Image: http://www.acclaimimages.com)

Sealed Warrant Goes Public Due to a “Glitch”

Despite the exhaustive efforts of Dakota County to seal the arrest warrant, there was a glitch (or perhaps a leak?) and out of all the warrants entered in the system…somehow only the sealed warrant belonging to Sandra was “accidentally” posted publicly on the Dakota County Sheriff’s website.

And if that was not bad enough (gasp!) the Star Tribune, who had been in contact with Lakeville police for months, was alerted and went public, announcing an arrest warrant had been issued for Sandra.

Michael Brodkorb, source: startribune.com

 

Brandon Stahl, Star Tribune, source: YouTube

Followed by Michael Brodkorb, a former reporter with Star Tribune, posting an update on August 21st on his Twitter feed, mentioning the supposedly sealed arrest warrant: https://twitter.com/mbrodkorb/status/634764171125592064

The Star Tribune then informed Sandra’s attorney, Michelle MacDonald, about the sealed warrant…and gleefully spread the news across multiple social media venues. The seal had been broken on the warrant as the news spread nationwide thanks to the special efforts made by Stahl and Brodkorb at the Star Tribune. Keep in mind one of the common reasons that a warrant is sealed is to prevent news of the warrant from reaching the media, who could compromise the case with disclosure.

By “coincidence” a local news outlet reports on the close relationship between Lt. Jason Polinski of the Lakeville Police Department and the Star Tribune, who was working on the Grazzini-Rucki case, “A Star Tribune story in April provided new information that helped police build a case for an arrest warrant for Grazzini-Rucki, who previously was considered a “person of interest,” in the case, Polinski said. ” Police looking for mother in disappearance of daughters in Minnesota

Even David Rucki himself acknowledged the connection,”..Rucki added he was “very grateful” for the assistance of law enforcement and media attention..” David had alot to be “grateful” for considering Michael Brodkorb of The Star Tribune tipped him off about the sealed warrant. Father of missing Lakeville sisters ‘relieved’ by warrant for ex-wife’s arrest

At that point there is no reason for the warrant to remain sealed. Instead, providing Sandra with a notice to appear in court would have been appropriate. Instead, Dakota County relentlessly pursued Sandra. At great cost to tax payers, Dakota County had the warrant removed from the public website and then re-sealed. Sandra was later apprehended by U.S. Marshalls, in Florida, and transported across the country to be brought back to Minnesota to answer to criminal charges. 

Keep in mind that Sandra works as a flight attendant, and she could have easily arranged her own transportation back to the state – as she had done numerous times in the past to answer to proceedings related to her custody dispute.

Recent Case Presents Compelling Reason for Dismissal

The significance of the sealed warrant being publicly posted, and then making the news outlets, is that information about the sealed warrant was not only improperly released but also improperly served. You can not “re-seal” a sealed warrant that has been this compromised; it serves no purpose. Even more important, every individual is protected by laws designed to uphold personal liberty. These laws are in place to limit the government’s ability to take our freedom or property without due process. 

In the 2011 case of Jones v. Brown County (Civil No. 11-CV-568, SRN/FLN) the District Court found that, “ Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(5), improper service of process may be grounds for dismissal. Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(5). In this case, none of the defendants have been properly served. “

The Court then dismissed a claim made against Brown County because, “It is clear that process was not properly served in this case. “ And, “With regard to the individual defendants, under Minnesota Law service may be effectuated “by delivering a copy [of the summons and complaint] to the individual personally or by leaving a copy at the individual’s usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein.” Minn. R. Civ. P. 4.03(a). The only attempt at service upon the individual defendants in this case was by mailing a copy of the summons and complaint to the county offices in which these defendants work. These mailings did not constitute service by mail, as the mailings did not include two copies of Form 22, or a substantially similar notice and acknowledgment form, as required by Minnesota law. Minn. R. Civ. P. 4.05. Plaintiffs failed to meet the requirements for service upon an individual. Plaintiffs claims should be dismissed for insufficient service of process…

“And because Plaintiffs improperly served the original Complaint, this action was never properly commenced. See R. 3.01. “ Source: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCOURTS-mnd-0_11-cv-00568/pdf/USCOURTS-mnd-0_11-cv-00568-1.pdf

Given that the sealed warrant was improperly served, the Prosecutor’s Office should promptly dismiss all charges. Plz stay tuned to the Justice 4 Grazzini-Rucki Family blog for news and updates!

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at freedigitalimages.net

 

“An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so. “ ~ Mahatma Gandhi