ERNIE BIONDILLO MURDER Wrongful-death lawsuit to be redone

Biondillo agreed to a $50,000 settlement but now wants to renegotiate.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- It's back to the drawing board for attorneys representing Linda Biondillo in her wrongful-death lawsuit against former mob boss Lenny Strollo and others, in which she says they were responsible for the slaying of her husband, Ernie, in June 1996.
At a hearing Wednesday ordered by an irate Judge Timothy P. Maloney of Mahoning County Probate Court, the judge chided Linda Biondillo's attorneys, Paul Parantinides and Peter Janos, both of Akron, for failing to inform Michael Rich, attorney for Ernie Biondillo's estate, and consequently the court to which Rich is required to file litigation status reports.
Judge Maloney also lectured Biondillo on her duties to the court as fiduciary and executrix of her husband's estate. Her responsibilities include keeping the court apprised of what is going on in the case, he said.
Judge Maloney was set off when he learned that Judge John R. Milligan, a retired judge from the 5th District Court of Appeals, filed a document in common pleas court March 6 saying that the lawsuit was settled for $50,000 and dismissed.
What's in law
Judge Maloney reiterated Wednesday that there can be no settlement unless it is approved by the probate court, as required by Ohio law.
He strongly suggested that Parantinides and Janos move to have Judge Milligan's order undone, and to apply to get back on the probate court's docket. Judge Maloney even gave them the case they need to cite to the trial court in their motion.
Biondillo said she had verbally agreed to the $50,000 settlement in November 2003. However, in January 2004, she learned through her daughter, Melissa, and Melissa's husband, Atty. Rich, that Strollo has more assets than originally believed. Now, she wants her attorneys to do more research on the assets and renegotiate the settlement.
For their part, Parantinides and Janos said they had no intention of trying to bypass probate court.
"We did not accept any dismissal. We don't know why it occurred. It came as a complete surprise to us, " Janos said. Usually, when a settlement is reached and the case is dismissed by the common pleas trial court, there is language making it final pending approval of the probate court, Parantinides said.
Though their focus has been on Strollo's assets, Janos said they also plan to determine the assets of the others named in Biondillo's suit, Jeff Riddle, Cleveland Blair and George Wilkins, who are serving prison sentences for their roles in mob-related activities, including Biondillo's murder. Strollo was sentenced in January to 12 years and eight months in prison.
"My father's life was worth more than $50,000. If I can find Strollo's assets, I feel attorneys should be able to. There needs to be more involvement on their part," said Melissia Rich.
"We got them more information. Now they need to use it. Lenny [Strollo] got to keep everything -- the house and the business. We all know there is money somewhere," she said.
alcorn@vindy.com