WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. July 12, 2004:  A panel of three judges of The District of Columbia Appellate Court today denied in less than one day's deliberation  a stay of  Elena Sassower's sentence of 180 days in jail for disruption of congress, pending appeal.

This was White Plains resident Sassower's 15th day behind bars since being sentenced by Judge Brian F. Holman to 6 months in jail, June 28,  when she refused to agree to conditions of probation set by him after her conviction.

The motion for a stay was filed by the firm of Mayer, Brown pro bono on Ms. Sassower's behalf. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Ms. Sassower, Miles Ehrenkranz reports two congresswomen one from California and one from the District of Columbia are protesting her treatment to congress. No one from the Westchester Delegation to Washington, Ehrenkranz reports, have come to Ms. Sassower's aid.

INMATE 301-340 SPENDS DAY 15 IN JAIL: White Plains' Elena Sassower is currently doing hard time for "disrupting congress" in the District of Columbia Capitol Jail, 1901 E. Street  S.E., Washington D.C. The phone number at the jail is 202-698-3000. A recent article in the New York Law Journal on July 8, has attorneys nationwide in an uproar over the severity of her sentencing.  Photo Capture by WPCNR  from Center for Judicial Accountability website.

Mr. Ehrenkranz reports Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer have not contacted the Sassowers on Elena Sassower's behalf, and neither has any other member of New York State's congressional delegation. "We are patiently waiting for the members of Westchester's delegation to step up to the plate and defend their constitutent," Ehrenkranz said.

A California congresswoman, Maxine Waters  and District of Columbia Congresswoman Norton, two African-American congresswomen have spoken out separately in support of Elena's release pending appeal.

Ehrenkranz reports Congresswoman  Eleanor Holmes-Norton as calling today's denial of a stay "to be outrageous. The sentence is unacceptable."  Ehrenkranz said he and Congresswoman Norton are "working together to craft a Congressional Memo to garner support for Elena Sassower."

He said that the Sassowers are considering how to proceed, and how and who will represent them at this time has not been decided. Ehrenkranz said Doris Sassower, the mother of Elena Sassower, is working to get the opportunity to reargue the motion for a stay before the Appellate Court.

No Longer In "Solitary Confinement."

Ehrenkranz said Sassower still has not been able to visit the jail law library on a regular basis. He also reports she is allowed to see visitors, however the appointments are subject to cancellation by prison officials. Ehrenkranz reports some 10 appointments have been cancelled by prison officers in 15 days.