Judge Orders Return Of Seized Jewelry Residents To Get Back Four Items Taken From Gypsy Homes In 1986

A Spokane County judge has ordered four pieces of jewelry returned to people who claimed they were stolen during police raids on two Gypsy homes.

Superior Court Judge Michael Donohue on Wednesday said the items clearly belong to four residents whose missing jewelry was among more than 500 items seized when police raided two Marks family homes in 1986.

The easiest decision was returning a gold watch to Jennie Marchioro, who testified that the numbers etched on the back of the item were her Social Security number.

After years of wrangling over how the property was seized and whether officials had stolen hundreds of items from the original stockpile, lawyers had reduced the list of disputed items to nine - two rings, two necklaces, two watches, a diamond pendant and two bracelets.

Earlier this week, Jimmy Marks and his wife Jane agreed that three items did not belong to them.

After two days of hearings, Donohue ruled that only one of the nine items - a man’s gold ring - belonged to the Markses.

He postponed a decision on the last two disputed pieces - a pair of gold bracelets claimed by Spokane resident Barbara Rockwood.

Rockwood was out of state this week and unable to testify, said City Deputy Prosecutor Rocco Treppiedi.

“This is definitely a victory for the victims, helping them finally get their valuable keepsakes,” said Treppiedi.

Jimmy Marks said he felt gratified that the judge ordered the return of the ring. He produced an exact copy of the disputed ring, saying he had one made for his wife and one for himself in the early 1980s.

“The judge said it was to be given to me ‘forthwith.’ That means right now, but I’m still waiting to get it,” Marks said after the ruling.

He said the ring had been taken off his hand “at gun point” during a raid on his home 11 years ago.

Since then, he and his wife have pursued a lawsuit against the city of Spokane and Spokane County, claiming the seizure violated their civil rights. The occupants of the other home raided by police, Grover and Lippie Marie Marks, have also filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city and county.

Before that trial can start, Jimmy Marks also faces trial on two criminal charges - obstruction of justice and intimidating a witness.

, DataTimes