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1
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 15TH
JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR
PALM-BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
CASE NO: 2010CP004252XXXXSB
IN RE: ESTATE OF ALLAN HAYMES,
Deceased.
________________________________/
ZYLO MARSHALL
Petitioner,
v.
LOIS M. HAYMES, as Personal Representative
of the Estate of ALLAN HAYMES, and
CRAIG DONOFF, as Personal Representative
of the Estate of ALLAN HAYMES,
Respondents.
________________________________/
RESPONDENTS NOTICE OF FILING VIDEOTAPED DEPOSITION
TRANSCRIPT OF NON-PARTY, ELLEN COHEN
Respondents, LOIS M. HAYMES, as Personal Representative of the Estate of ALLAN
HAYMES, and CRAIG DONOFF, as Personal Representative of the Estate of ALLAN HAYMES,
by and through their undersigned counsel, hereby files the videotaped deposition transcript of Non-
Party, Ellen Cohen, taken March 5, 2014 in connection with this matter.
Filing # 12467581 Electronically Filed 04/14/2014 01:45:06 PM
2
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true copy of the foregoing has been filed with the Clerk of
Court via the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal which will serve a notice of electronic filing upon:
Zylo Marshall, Pro Se Plaintiff, [[email protected]], on this 14th day of April, 2014.
SHENDELL & POLLOCK, P.L.
Attorneys for Respondents
2700 N. Military Trail
Boca Raton, Florida 33431
Phone: (561) 241-2323
Fax: (561) 241-2330
By: s/ Kenneth S. Pollock
Kenneth S. Pollock, Esq.
Florida Bar No: 69558
Matthew A. Tornincasa, Esq.
Florida Bar No: 57698
w:\files\donoff re haymes estate\pleadings\plead - nof - deposition transcript of ellen cohen.docx
mailto:[email protected]954-463-2933
WWW.USLEGALSUPPORT.COM
1
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF
THE 15th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
CASE NO: 502010CP004252XXXXSB
IN RE: ESTATE OF ALLAN HAYMES,
Deceased.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x
ZYLO MARSHALL,
Petitioner,
v.
LOIS M. HAYMES, as Personal Representative of the
Estate of ALLAN HAYMES, and CRAIG DONOFF, as
Personal Representative of the Estate of ALLAN
HAYMES,
Respondents.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x
VIDEOTAPED DEPOSITION of ELLEN COHEN, a
nonparty witness by Respondents, pursuant to
Subpoena, held at the offices of US Legal
Support, 425 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10022, on March 5, 2014 at 9:01 a.m. before a
Notary Public of the State of New York.
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1
2 A p p e a r a n c e s:
3 ZYLO MARSHALL, PRO SE 912 J Street, #34
4 Sacramento, California 95814 BY: ZYLO MARSHALL, via telephone
5
6
SHENDELL & POLLOCK, PL7 Attorneys for Respondents
2700 North Military Trail, Suite 1508 Boca Raton, Florida 33431
BY: MATT TORNINCASA, ESQ.9
10
11
ALSO PRESENT:12
Sallean Browne, videographer13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: This deposition is
3 being held at US Legal Support in New York,
4 425 Park Avenue on March 5, 2014, at
5 approximately 9:15 a.m. My name is Sallean
6 Browne from US Legal Support, and I am the
7 video specialist. The court reporter today
8 is Allison Fowler, also from US Legal
9 Support.
10 Will counsel please introduce
11 themselves.
12 MR. TORNINCASA: Attorney Matt
13 Tornincasa of Shendell & Pollock, PL, on
14 behalf of respondents Lois Haymes and Craig
15 Donoff, as personal representatives of the
16 estate of Allan Haymes.
17 Mr. Marshall, please introduce yourself
18 for the record.
19 MR. MARSHALL: My name is Zylo
20 Marshall. This is -- representing myself as
21 pro se petitioner in the estate of Allan
22 Haymes.
23 MR. TORNINCASA: Okay.
24 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: Will the court
25 reporter please swear in the witness.
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2 E L L E N C O H E N, the witness herein, having
3 been first duly sworn by a Notary Public of the
4 State of New York, was examined and testified as
5 follows:
6 EXAMINATION BY
7 MR. TORNINCASA:
8 Q. Ms. Cohen, my name is Matt Tornincasa,
9 I'm an attorney, I represent Lois Haymes. She is
10 the daughter of Allan Haymes. I also represent
11 attorney, Craig Donoff, they are the personal
12 representatives of the estate of Allan Haymes.
13 We're here today to take your
14 deposition for trial. We need to find out a
15 little bit of information about the time that you
16 spent with Allan Haymes and just kind of get some
17 answers to some questions.
18 We are being videographed today. We
19 also have testimony taken by a court reporter.
20 In order to make sure things go smoothly, I want
21 to just give you a couple of basic guidelines.
22 The first is, because everything that is being
23 said is officially being taken down by a
24 stenographer, nonverbal responses, like head
25 shakes, or ambiguous responses such as uh-huh or
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 uh-uh, don't translate well, so I'd ask if I ask
3 you a question, please answer with a yes or no.
4 Do you understand that?
5 A. I do.
6 Q. Thank you. Also because --
7 MR. MARSHALL: Can you turn up the
8 volume a little bit, please?
9 MR. TORNINCASA: What was that,
10 Mr. Marshall?
11 MR. MARSHALL: Can you put the volume
12 or bring it closer to the voices so I can
13 hear. I can't hear that well.
14 MR. TORNINCASA: Okay.
15 MR. MARSHALL: Thank you.
16 MR. TORNINCASA: I'll just bring it a
17 little closer probably because he's having
18 trouble hearing us.
19 Q. In addition, because the stenographer
20 is writing everything down, I'll ask you -- in
21 conversations where you'll know where I'm going
22 with the question, it's very easy for you cut in
23 with answer. That can tend to make for a very
24 rough record, so I'd ask you to please give me a
25 couple of moments after to make sure my question
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2 is done prior to starting your answer. That
3 would help to make a clean record.
4 A. Okay.
5 Q. We're here today to find out what you
6 know. It's not a memory test, it's not an
7 examination, it's not a quiz, so if you need to
8 speculate or guess, just please let us know that
9 you're speculating or you're guessing if you
10 don't know something.
11 A. For sure.
12 Q. My last request is, sometimes I do ask
13 a bad question. If for some reason you don't
14 understand my question or need me to clarify,
15 please let me know, and I'll be happy to restate
16 the question. The last thing, I'll ask you the
17 same thing is, in order to give Mr. Marshall an
18 opportunity to interpose any objections, after I
19 ask my question just wait maybe one or two
20 seconds before you answer, that way if it there
21 is an objection, he has an opportunity to get
22 that out on the record, and that will come out
23 cleanly and smoothly and in order.
24 A. Okay. I understand.
25 Q. Thank you so much.
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 A. Sure.
3 Q. Can we start with your name, please?
4 A. Ellen Cohen.
5 Q. And Ms. Cohen, what is your address?
6 A. 20 West 64th Street, New York, New York
7 10023.
8 Q. And how long have you lived there?
9 A. Ten years, three months.
10 Q. Okay. And are you employed?
11 A. Yes, I am.
12 Q. Where are you employed, please?
13 A. Well, I'm a partner in a CPA firm,
14 Shedler & Cohen, LLP.
15 Q. And where is Shedler & Cohen located?
16 A. In Manhattan.
17 Q. Okay. And how long have you been a
18 partner there?
19 A. I've been a partner since 1995.
20 Q. Okay. How long have you worked for the
21 firm?
22 A. Since 1993.
23 Q. Okay, terrific. And what do you do
24 there?
25 A. I'm a CPA. I'm a partner, and we're
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2 business partners in the entertainment industry.
3 We handle tax and accounting issues for
4 individuals.
5 Q. I realize it is in the middle of the
6 busy season for taxes --
7 A. It is.
8 Q. I do thank you for your time today.
9 A. Okay.
10 Q. Did you know the decedent in this case,
11 Allan Haymes?
12 A. Yes, I knew Allan Haymes.
13 Q. When did you first meet Allan Haymes?
14 A. I met Allan Haymes in 1977.
15 Q. And how did you meet Allan Haymes?
16 A. Allan Haymes -- my husband, Henry
17 Cohen, worked with Allan Haymes -- just about
18 began working with Allan Haymes just about the
19 same time that we met, that I met Henry, and I
20 guess Henry and Allan were working together for a
21 short time when I was introduced to Allan. So it
22 was the same -- the same -- I know 1977, because
23 that's when I met Henry and I know that's about
24 when Henry met Allan, and we met shortly during
25 that, you know -- during that time period.
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2 Q. Okay, terrific. And you knew Allan
3 through his entire life?
4 A. From 1977, yes, forward.
5 Q. How would you characterize your
6 relationship with Allan Haymes, your family's
7 relationship with Allan Haymes?
8 A. Well, primarily, the relationship was
9 through Henry, and he and Allan were partners in
10 business together and -- but on the other hand,
11 we were family friends, Allen and his wife,
12 Carol, participated in our children's bar
13 mitzvahs. They came up from Florida or they were
14 in New York and they attended them, and we
15 socialized with them, not on a regular basis, but
16 every few years, for sure, we'd have a dinner
17 out, whether it was in New York or in Florida,
18 but not -- the relationship was mainly through
19 Henry. Henry and Allan had a business
20 relationship. I did not have a personal
21 friendship relationship with him, but certainly
22 very social and caring.
23 Q. Okay. So would it be fair to say that
24 there was regular contact between you and Henry
25 and Allan Haymes over the years since 1977?
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2 A. Yes.
3 Q. And you mentioned that you had children
4 -- Henry -- excuse me, that Allan and his wife
5 were at your children's bar mitzvahs?
6 A. Absolutely, very memorable. They were
7 fabulous dancers. People still talk about their
8 fabulous dancing.
9 Q. Terrific. Have you ever lived in
10 Florida?
11 A. No.
12 Q. Allan lived in New York. Do you know
13 where he lived in New York?
14 A. Yes, he lived at 210 Central Park
15 South.
16 Q. Okay. And do you know, was that a
17 house or a condo?
18 A. It was a rental apartment.
19 Q. A rental apartment?
20 A. Rented an apartment there, yes.
21 Q. Okay.
22 A. He and Carol lived there during -- up
23 until they moved out, I think the rent
24 stabilization laws changed or something and they
25 had to -- they didn't stay, and they terminated
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2 their lease and then moved to Florida. They also
3 lived in Westhampton, had a small place there
4 that was sold a long time ago.
5 Q. When did they move to Florida?
6 A. It was before Carol's death because
7 when Carol died, they sat Shiva in a hotel room,
8 so I don't really know. When they left the New
9 York apartment, I don't know the date, but it was
10 before Carol's death because as I say, we went to
11 the funeral and they were sitting Shiva, he and
12 his family, were sitting Shiva at a hotel.
13 Q. The issue in this case was a challenge
14 to Mr. Haymes' capacity or possible undue
15 influence by his daughter Lois Haymes with regard
16 to his current operative will, which was executed
17 in January of 2009.
18 A. Okay.
19 Q. I'd like to kind of narrow the time
20 frame because I know you've known Mr. Haymes for
21 close to 30 years -- over 30 years?
22 A. Yes.
23 Q. In the last three or four years of his
24 life, from about 2007 on?
25 A. Uh-huh.
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2 Q. -- would you speak with Mr. Haymes or
3 did you ever visit Mr. Haymes? Did you have
4 contact with Mr. Haymes?
5 A. I visited Allan when he moved into his
6 first residence after the apartment -- when he
7 moved out of the apartment on the ocean, I think
8 it was a Hyatt -- my recollection, it was one of
9 these Hyatt residences, independent/assisted
10 living. He was probably there about year and a
11 half or -- I'm not sure of the date.
12 Q. Okay.
13 A. I think he moved in '06. It was
14 probably winter of '08, I'm not sure of the exact
15 date though, if it was late '07 or winter of '08,
16 Henry and I went to visit Allan, we had -- we met
17 him in his lovely apartment that he had set up
18 beautifully with furniture and special
19 belongings. We -- he toured us around the
20 facility, we had lunch in the dining room, he
21 introduced us to some of his friends, people came
22 over. It was a lovely visit. We were there
23 about two or three hours, and as I say, Allan, he
24 was introducing us to other people, he was, you
25 know...
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2 Q. Okay.
3 A. Quite friendly.
4 Q. So during that visit, did you observe
5 any mental incapacity by Allan Haymes?
6 A. Absolutely not.
7 Q. Do you know Lois Haymes?
8 A. Yes.
9 Q. How do you know Lois?
10 A. I know Lois, you know, only -- through.
11 Q. Do you remember when you first met
12 Lois?
13 A. I really -- that's a tough one. Many,
14 many years ago, on a trip to California, we -- my
15 husband and I, we were out in California with the
16 kids, and I'm pretty sure we visited with her for
17 a short visit, but I can't put my -- I didn't
18 really have any involvement with Lois until the
19 last few years when she really stepped in to
20 assist her father.
21 Q. Okay. Did you ever personally observe,
22 I guess -- let me ask this a different way.
23 Was Lois Haymes present when you
24 visited with Allan Haymes?
25 A. No.
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2 Q. Did Lois Haymes facilitate your visit
3 to see Allan Haymes in any way?
4 A. Absolutely not. Henry was in contact
5 with Allan on a regular basis at that point.
6 Q. Did Lois attempt to interfere or
7 prevent --
8 A. Absolutely not.
9 Q. Okay.
10 A. She encouraged us to be in touch with
11 him. Encouraged Henry, more than...
12 Q. Did you ever discuss Lois with Allan?
13 A. Not to a great extent, except that she
14 was very grateful of -- for her assistance,
15 particularly right after -- when he was alone.
16 He realized how quickly -- you know, how much she
17 was helping me him and supporting him and
18 encouraging him.
19 Q. Okay. Did Allan Haymes ever complain
20 to you about Lois Haymes taking care of him?
21 A. No, I never had a discussion with Allan
22 about that at all.
23 Q. Okay. Were you ever present for any
24 conversations regarding Allan Haymes' estate
25 plan?
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 A. No.
3 Q. Do you know Zylo Marshall?
4 A. Do I know --
5 Q. The petitioner.
6 A. Do I know him personally, no.
7 Q. Do you know who he was?
8 A. I know who he is.
9 Q. Okay. Can you explain to me your
10 understanding of his relationship to Allan
11 Haymes?
12 A. Grandson.
13 Q. Okay. Have you ever discussed Zylo
14 with Allan?
15 A. No.
16 Q. Do you have any knowledge regarding
17 Allan and Zylo's relationship?
18 A. Personally, no.
19 Q. Okay.
20 A. I never discussed -- talked to Allan
21 about anything other than having to do with, you
22 know, work or my own children or Carol or Henry,
23 that was it.
24 Q. Okay.
25 A. Henry had much more of a regular
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2 relationship on a regular basis with Allan.
3 Q. Okay. All righty. How would you
4 describe Allan's memory faculties and
5 capabilities the last time you visited with him
6 in person, this visit in winter of '08 or '07?
7 A. I thought his -- he was healthy.
8 Q. Okay.
9 A. You know, his mind seemed healthy. As
10 I say, we walked around the facility, he showed
11 us all the, you know, what it had to offer, and
12 we had lunch with him and he was pretty clear on
13 the names of the people and introducing us, so I
14 would say --
15 Q. Okay.
16 A. -- it was, you know.
17 Q. So at that time, would you have
18 concerns about Allan's ability to recognize his
19 family?
20 A. No.
21 Q. Would you have any concerns about
22 Allan's ability to appreciate the extent of his
23 assets?
24 A. I think he understood exactly what --
25 what his assets were.
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2 Q. The topic of his assets didn't come up,
3 though, you were just generalizing?
4 A. Not at that date, no. Not at that time
5 really, I didn't really talk about his assets.
6 Q. Did you ever provide any accounting
7 services to Allan?
8 A. Yes, I did.
9 Q. Okay.
10 A. But not personal, only for property
11 that he owned with Henry.
12 Q. Okay. So it would be, not so much for
13 Allan as it was for a partnership that he'd
14 established --
15 A. Exactly, exactly. I did not see or
16 have any inclination or knowledge of his personal
17 tax return. I would provide a K1 to his
18 accountant.
19 Q. And when would you provide those
20 services, if you recall?
21 A. Well, I'm still because there's one
22 partnership. There was the same partnership that
23 they owned, Henry and Allan owned, and I still do
24 the tax return, I do it March of every year, and
25 K1s go either to Allan, and now to the estate.
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2 Q. What's the name of this partnership?
3 A. Elca Associates.
4 Q. And that's E-L-C-A?
5 A. E-L-C-A.
6 Q. Have you ever observed Lois Haymes
7 threatening Allan Haymes?
8 A. No.
9 Q. Have you ever observed Lois Haymes
10 bully Allan Haymes in any way?
11 A. No.
12 Q. Have you ever observed Lois Haymes
13 attempt to manipulate Allan Haymes in any way?
14 A. I never observed that.
15 Q. Based on your knowledge of Allan Haymes
16 and his personality, did he strike you as an
17 individual who could be manipulated or bullied?
18 A. No.
19 Q. Tell me a little bit more about Allan's
20 personality.
21 A. As I say, I really knew Allan through
22 Henry, but Allan was a very sharp, very
23 street-smart individual with a very good head on
24 his shoulders for business, and, you know,
25 dealmaking and really mentored my husband and was
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2 not a guy who was ever taken advantage of, or --
3 I can't -- I'm not saying ever because I'm not --
4 don't know every day of his life, but I would
5 imagine he was always in control of a situation
6 and made things happen. He didn't wait -- you
7 know, things didn't happen to him, he made things
8 happen.
9 Q. Okay. Terrific. I don't think I have
10 anything further for you.
11 A. Okay.
12 MR. TORNINCASA: Mr. Marshall, you're
13 up.
14 EXAMINATION
15 BY MR. MARSHALL:
16 Q. Yes, yes. Good morning, Mrs. Cohen.
17 A. Good morning to you.
18 Q. My name is Zylo Marshall, representing
19 myself as a plaintiff in the case of Zylo
20 Marshall versus Lois Haymes and Craig Donoff in
21 the estate of Allan Haymes. I am also asking you
22 these questions based upon a deposition in
23 California. I just want to inform you that the
24 current lawsuit we are -- we started in --
25 started in September 2010. I'll be jumping
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2 around during this deposition.
3 Do you consider yourself an honest,
4 ethical person?
5 A. Absolute --
6 Q. Have you ever lied to anyone before?
7 MR. TORNINCASA: Ms. Marshall, I just
8 want to renew my direction to the witness.
9 Ms. Cohen, if you could just please give me
10 a second or two to place any objections on
11 the record that are necessary before you
12 answer. I know a lot of these questions,
13 the answers are obvious, but I have to make
14 my record.
15 THE WITNESS: Okay. I'm sorry. I will
16 do so.
17 MR. TORNINCASA: Mr. Marshall, could
18 you ask your first question again, please?
19 Q. Do you consider yourself an honest,
20 ethical person?
21 MR. TORNINCASA: I have an objection to
22 that question. I believe it improperly
23 questions the credibility of this witness.
24 It's not proper impeachment. It's improper
25 bolstering.
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2 You're free to answer it.
3 A. Yes, I consider myself an honest,
4 ethical -- can you repeat your question?
5 Q. Do you consider yourself an honest,
6 ethical person?
7 A. Yes.
8 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objection.
9 Q. Have you ever lied to anyone before?
10 A. No.
11 MR. TORNINCASA: I object to the
12 question.
13 I apologize, I just need a moment.
14 I object to that question. It's
15 improper character testimony you're seeking
16 to elicit.
17 A. No.
18 Q. In the last 15 years, have you ever
19 been arrested?
20 MR. TORNINCASA: You can answer that.
21 A. No.
22 Q. Have you ever been deposed before?
23 MR. TORNINCASA: You can answer.
24 A. No.
25 Q. Okay. Have you ever testified in court
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2 before?
3 A. No.
4 Q. Have you ever been a plaintiff or
5 defendant in another case?
6 A. No.
7 Q. Did you speak to Matt Tornincasa or Ken
8 Pollock prior to this lawsuit -- prior to this
9 deposition. I'm sorry, prior to this deposition?
10 A. Yes.
11 Q. How many times did you speak to either
12 one of them?
13 A. Once to Matt.
14 Q. Okay. How long were those
15 conversations -- how long did that conversation
16 last?
17 A. Ten minutes.
18 Q. Okay. Since 2005, did you send any
19 e-mails to Lois Haymes?
20 A. Not that I'm aware -- not that I
21 remember, or...
22 Q. Okay.
23 A. Not that I remember.
24 Q. Okay. Since 2005, did you ever receive
25 any e-mails from Lois Haymes?
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2 A. Not that I remember.
3 Q. Okay. Did Allan Haymes ever do
4 anything to cause you to distrust him?
5 MR. TORNINCASA: Can you repeat that
6 question, please, Mr. Marshall?
7 Q. Did Allan Haymes ever do anything that
8 caused you to distrust him?
9 MR. TORNINCASA: I object. That
10 question is vague and unintelligible.
11 You can answer, if you can.
12 A. Repeat the question once more.
13 Q. Do you -- did Allan Haymes ever do
14 anything that caused you to distrust him?
15 A. No.
16 Q. As we sit here right now, has Lois
17 Haymes done anything to betray your trust?
18 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection. Beyond the
19 scope of my direct examination. Improper
20 character witness -- improper character
21 testimony is being called for here without
22 proper predicate or foundation.
23 You can answer, if you can.
24 A. Repeat the question.
25 Q. Yeah. As we sit here right now, has
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2 Lois Haymes done anything to betray your trust?
3 A. No.
4 Q. Currently, do you have any business
5 ventures with Lois Haymes?
6 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection. This is
7 not a proper cross-examination, it's a
8 leading question and beyond the scope.
9 Ms. Cohen, you can answer, if you can.
10 Because this is -- and Zylo, I'm just going
11 to interrupt -- because this is for trial, I
12 need to place my objections on the record.
13 The court is going to have to determine
14 whether or not those objections are valid.
15 I just have to get them all out there.
16 After I object, you're free to answer any
17 question, you don't have to...
18 THE WITNESS: Okay.
19 A. Repeat the question.
20 Q. Currently, do you have any business
21 ventures with Lois Haymes?
22 A. With Lois Haymes directly? No.
23 Q. Yes.
24 A. I have --
25 Q. Did you consider doing -- go ahead.
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2 A. The only business venture at all with
3 the Haymes is with the estate of Allan Haymes,
4 which I discussed earlier, Elca Associates.
5 Q. Okay.
6 A. That's not --
7 Q. Without doing any -- go ahead.
8 A. No, it's not directly with Lois.
9 Q. Okay. Would you consider doing any
10 joint ventures with Lois Haymes in the future?
11 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection,
12 hypothetical question. Improper predicate.
13 This is far beyond the scope of my direct
14 examination. At this point, Mr. Marshall,
15 I'm going to direct you to move along,
16 please.
17 You can answer, if you can.
18 MR. MARSHALL: Okay.
19 A. I can't answer that.
20 Q. Did Zylo Marshall ever call you?
21 A. Yes.
22 Q. How many times?
23 A. I don't know the exact number, but a
24 number of times.
25 Q. What did he call you about?
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2 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection. Beyond the
3 scope of my direct.
4 Mr. Marshall, you didn't notice this
5 for your own deposition. You need to
6 confine your questions to the issues that
7 are raised in the direct examination here.
8 You're going very far field here at this
9 point.
10 MR. MARSHALL: Okay.
11 Q. In what year did you first acquire your
12 first partnership with Allan Haymes?
13 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection. There's no
14 factual predicate to that.
15 Ms. Cohen has testified that she does
16 not have any partnerships with Allan Haymes,
17 Mr. Marshall.
18 Q. Was it just with Elca Associates?
19 MR. TORNINCASA: If you can answer, you
20 can. Did you understand his question?
21 A. What was the question?
22 Q. Is Elca Associates the only partnership
23 you had with Allan Haymes?
24 A. It's the only partnership that is still
25 in existence since Allan's death.
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2 Q. Okay. How many other partnerships --
3 since 2003 --
4 A. Since --
5 Q. -- how many other partnerships were you
6 involved with, with Allan Haymes?
7 A. Since what date?
8 Q. 2000 and -- January 2003.
9 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection. This is
10 far beyond the scope of my direct. This is
11 irrelevant to any of the issues in this
12 case. This is immaterial. This is
13 harassing.
14 Q. You can answer.
15 MR. TORNINCASA: If you can.
16 A. Just Elca Associates, since 2003.
17 Q. Okay.
18 A. That's my -- my recollection, I am not
19 aware of or cannot bring to memory anything prior
20 to -- anything other than Elca Associates since
21 2003.
22 Q. Okay. From January 2003 until
23 September 2010, how many transactions were you
24 and Allan Haymes involved with?
25 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection.
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2 Irrelevant, immaterial, far beyond the scope
3 of the direct examination.
4 If you and Allan Haymes were directly
5 involved in any interest --
6 THE WITNESS: Nothing.
7 MR. TORNINCASA: -- I guess you can
8 answer. If you weren't, you can answer
9 none.
10 Mr. Marshall, is there --
11 A. Besides Elca?
12 MR. TORNINCASA: Is there a point to
13 these questions besides harassing this
14 witness?
15 Q. Well, once you got involved with
16 transactions, how many were sold, transferred --
17 A. Nothing, just Elca Associates. That's
18 the only thing, and it was formed way before
19 2003. It is the only -- only business
20 relationship.
21 Q. Right. Did you sell any property using
22 -- buy or sell any property in 2003 using Elca
23 Associates?
24 A. No.
25 Q. Okay. Do you have the Marshall
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2 exhibits folder in front of you?
3 MR. TORNINCASA: Two Fed-Ex files were
4 received here, Mr. Marshall. Can you be a
5 little more specific as to which one you're
6 looking for?
7 MR. MARSHALL: Yes. I thought they
8 were combined. It's going to be Exhibit A.
9 So I thought they were combined, but it's
10 just A through Q and R through Y. Just put
11 them together.
12 MR. TORNINCASA: Okay. I've handed to
13 Ms. Cohen a Fed-Ex file here, which appears
14 to contain a series of tabs, A through Q,
15 and a second series of tabs, R through Y.
16 MR. MARSHALL: Yes.
17 Q. Exhibit A is a type of venue,
18 Department of Foreign Limited Partnership, which
19 was formed in March 8, 1988, is that correct?
20 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, this
21 document's been improperly introduced.
22 Objection, this document is not the best
23 evidence. Objection, this document contains
24 hearsay, which is not within any of the
25 recognized exceptions. Objection, this
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2 document is ineligible. Objection, there is
3 no foundation. Objection, this is beyond
4 the scope of my direct. Objection, this
5 line of questioning is irrelevant.
6 Objection, this exhibit is immaterial to any
7 of the issues in the case.
8 Q. You can answer.
9 A. What was the question? Repeat the
10 question.
11 Q. Okay. Exhibit A is a type of venue,
12 Department of State, Foreign Limited Partnership,
13 which was formed in March 4th, 1988, is that
14 correct?
15 A. That is correct.
16 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objection, and
17 also leading.
18 Q. Under "General Character of Business,"
19 to acquire, own, hold, operate, maintain, lease,
20 finance, or dispose of real property and any
21 other act instrumental or necessary to do or set
22 forth business and partnership agreements, is
23 that correct?
24 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection,
25 Mr. Marshall is testifying. Objection,
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2 leading question. Objection, this document
3 is not the best evidence. Objection, this
4 is irrelevant and immaterial. Objection,
5 this document contains hearsay. Objection,
6 the document has not been properly
7 authenticated. Objection, this document is
8 not the best evidence of its contents.
9 You can answer, if you can.
10 A. Yes, that's what this exhibit A reads.
11 Q. Okay. Under that -- under that, you
12 were classified as a general and limited partner,
13 is that correct?
14 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, leading.
15 Objection, beyond the scope of the direct
16 examination. Objection, irrelevant.
17 Objection, immaterial. Objection, this
18 document has not properly been introduced.
19 Objection, there is no foundation.
20 You can answer, if you can.
21 A. I'm listed, yes.
22 Q. Okay. This is a yes or no question
23 only, is the legal address for Aces Associations
24 in Pennsylvania?
25 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, leading
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2 question. Objection, the document speaks
3 for itself. Objection, you're attempting to
4 use Exhibit A to introduce hearsay.
5 Objection, beyond the scope of my direct
6 examination. Objection, irrelevant.
7 Objection, immaterial.
8 You can answer, if you can.
9 A. The form does say "Application for
10 Registration, Foreign Limited Partnership,
11 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania." The form does say
12 that.
13 Q. Is the legal address in Pennsylvania?
14 A. The legal address?
15 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection --
16 Q. Is the legal address for business in
17 Pennsylvania?
18 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, calling for
19 hearsay. Objection, the document speaks for
20 itself. Objection, seeking information
21 beyond the scope of this witness's
22 knowledge. Objection, irrelevant.
23 Objection, immaterial. Objection, this
24 document is not the best evidence of the
25 information that's being requested.
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2 Objection, hearsay. I think I might have
3 already said that one, sorry, and objection,
4 beyond the scope of the direct.
5 Q. Let's move on. Was Aces Associates,
6 the limited partnership, in part of the sale of
7 any property from January 3rd -- January 2003
8 until May 2012?
9 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, there's no
10 factual predicate for that question.
11 Objection, that is a leading question.
12 Objection, that is irrelevant to the issues
13 in this lawsuit. Objection, that question
14 is immaterial. Objection, that question is
15 harassing. Objection, there is no proper
16 foundation for that question.
17 You can answer, if you can, if you have
18 that knowledge.
19 A. To the best of my knowledge, Aces
20 Associates -- Aces Associates was dissolved by --
21 at -- in December of 1988. It never -- it never
22 -- it was a dormant entity and never -- never
23 pursued the -- any business.
24 Q. So it was opened and closed in 1988, is
25 that the right year?
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2 A. Yes.
3 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, leading
4 question. Objection, irrelevant.
5 Objection, immaterial.
6 You already answered.
7 A. To the best of my knowledge, yes.
8 Q. Okay. Exhibit B, is a -- can we turn
9 to Exhibit B, please?
10 A. (Witness complies.)
11 Q. Exhibit B is a March 29, 1988
12 application for registration to transact business
13 in Michigan, is that correct?
14 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, this
15 document was not properly authenticated.
16 Objection, this document is not the best
17 evidence for the information which you're
18 seeking. Objection, this document is
19 hearsay and contains hearsay within hearsay.
20 Objection, this document is irrelevant.
21 Objection, this document is immaterial to
22 the issues in this case. Objection, this
23 document has not been properly authenticated
24 or introduced.
25 You can answer, if you can.
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2 A. That's what the -- yes, Exhibit B,
3 application for registration to transact business
4 in Michigan, that's what it reads.
5 Q. As in Exhibit A, Box 3 of Exhibit B
6 also states as a general character of business to
7 acquire, own, hold, operate, maintain, lease,
8 finance, dispose of real property; is that
9 correct?
10 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, the
11 document speaks for itself. Objection,
12 leading question. Objection, Mr. Marshall
13 is testifying. Objection, irrelevant.
14 Objection, immaterial. Objection, beyond
15 the scope of my direct examination.
16 A. That's what it reads in number 3.
17 Q. Okay. All right. Page 4 of Exhibit B
18 has a signature -- page 4 of Exhibit B has the
19 signature of Ellen Cohen, Allan Haymes, and Alan
20 Simons, is that correct?
21 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, leading
22 question. Objection, not properly
23 authenticated. Objection, best evidence
24 rule. Objection, no foundation. Objection,
25 irrelevant. Objection, immaterial.
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2 Objection, beyond the scope of the direct
3 examination.
4 THE WITNESS: Am I supposed to answer?
5 Q. Hello?
6 A. Oh, I'm sorry. What was -- can you
7 repeat the question?
8 Q. Page 4 of exhibit B has signatures for
9 Ellen Cohen, Allan Haymes and Allan Simons, is
10 that correct?
11 A. It does, but --
12 Q. Okay. Does this mean the three of you
13 were the only partners with Aces Associates:
14 Limited Partnership?
15 MR. TORNINCASA: First off, objection,
16 irrelevant, immaterial, beyond the scope of
17 the direct examination. Calling for
18 hearsay, violating the best evidence rule.
19 This document has not been properly
20 introduced. This document has not been
21 properly authenticated. This document has
22 no -- there are no foundation for these
23 questions.
24 A. It appears those are the three names
25 listed.
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2 Q. Do you know when Alan Simons died?
3 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, irrelevant
4 and material and beyond the scope.
5 A. I do not even know Alan Simon.
6 MR. TORNINCASA: That's all right.
7 Q. Where are we -- isn't Alan Simon in the
8 -- as a partner with Aces Associates?
9 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection. Ms. Cohen
10 just testified she doesn't know Mr. Simon,
11 objection.
12 MR. MARSHALL: Okay.
13 MR. TORNINCASA: The best evidence of
14 this would be the corporate documents.
15 Objection, the documents lack foundation.
16 Objection, these documents have not been
17 properly introduced. Objection, this is
18 irrelevant, immaterial, beyond the scope of
19 the direct examination.
20 Q. Okay. Let's go to Exhibit 3 -- I'm
21 sorry, Exhibit C. Exhibit C is a comprehensive
22 report on you through private investigator
23 William Desmond in California, which includes
24 both personal and professional history. Please
25 turn to page 3 under "people at work."
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2 MR. TORNINCASA: I'm going to object.
3 This is irrelevant, immaterial, harassing,
4 beyond the scope, and improper attack on the
5 credibility of Ms. Cohen.
6 THE WITNESS: This is my business.
7 MR. TORNINCASA: This report that
8 purports to be Exhibit C is hearsay and is
9 hearsay on hearsay. None of the records
10 which purport to be summarized in this
11 report have been authenticated. They
12 violate the best evidence rule.
13 Q. Under "people at work," do you see a
14 partnership called Aces Associates, Limited
15 Partnership, under page 3?
16 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections.
17 A. No.
18 Q. What about page 4?
19 A. I see my name, yes, at the bottom of
20 the page, but the -- the dates are irrelevant.
21 Q. Do you see a partnership called Aces
22 Associates, Limited Partnership?
23 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, irrelevant
24 immaterial, hearsay on hearsay, best
25 evidence rule.
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2 A. Yes.
3 Q. Okay. Under "people at work," do you
4 see a partnership called Elca Associates
5 Partnership?
6 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections,
7 irrelevant, immaterial, beyond the scope of
8 the direct, harassing, any references to
9 this Accurint report is hearsay on hearsay.
10 This document has not been properly
11 introduced. There's no foundation
12 established for the information that's
13 purportedly contained in this report.
14 There's no predicate for these questions.
15 A. No, I do not see Elca, unless, I'm -- I
16 don't see Elca listed.
17 Q. Let's turn to Exhibit X.
18 MR. TORNINCASA: Which exhibit was
19 that, Mr. Marshall?
20 MR. MARSHALL: X.
21 A. Okay.
22 Q. Are you there?
23 A. Yes.
24 Q. Exhibit X, is a partial 2009 tax return
25 for Allan Haymes. Under part 2, number 2, what
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2 is the name of the partnership?
3 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, this is
4 beyond the scope of the direct examination.
5 It's irrelevant, immaterial. This document
6 has not been properly authenticated. This
7 is an incomplete document. This violates
8 the best evidence rule. This document, to
9 the extent that you're attempting to claim
10 any representation on it, is admissible for
11 a truthful matter asserted therein. It is
12 hearsay. Ms. Cohen may not be competent to
13 testify as to this until you establish
14 whether or not she prepared this document.
15 To the extent that you're simply trying to
16 read documents into the record, Mr.
17 Marshall, you are testifying and that is
18 objectionable as well.
19 Q. You can answer.
20 A. Reads Elca Associates. Is that what --
21 Q. Okay. What is the SEIN number?
22 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections,
23 hearsay, irrelevant, immaterial, beyond the
24 scope, harassing, incomplete document, and
25 calling for information which may be beyond
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2 this witness's knowledge.
3 A. I will read the ID number. 13-3362,
4 it's a little blurry, but it looks like 534.
5 Q. Okay. Let's turn to Exhibit W.
6 A. W, yes.
7 Q. This exhibit states that there were no
8 results for SEIN number 13-3362534 in the United
9 States. Did you ever file a tax return for Elca
10 Associates Partnership?
11 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, compound
12 question. The exhibit that you just
13 referenced, Exhibit W, is not best evidence.
14 It's unauthenticated, there's no foundation,
15 you haven't established the facts which you
16 purport to be contained herein. It's
17 hearsay. You are calling for Ms. Cohen to
18 testify based on facts that are not in
19 evidence. This is all irrelevant,
20 immaterial, beyond the scope of the direct
21 examination. This document violates the
22 best evidence rule, and we object to any
23 attempt to admit it during trial.
24 You can answer, if you can.
25 A. I will answer your question. I do in
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2 fact file a tax return and have since Elca
3 Associates was created. I do not --
4 Q. Okay.
5 A. I do not know, from the top of my head,
6 the ID number for Elca Associates.
7 Q. But you did file an Elca Associates
8 Partnership tax return?
9 A. Right. Whether it -- whether this is
10 the number that it was filed under, I cannot
11 answer. This could be -- they may have typed,
12 you know, had an input error on the type -- on
13 Allan Haymes.
14 Q. Right.
15 A. This is not the Elca tax return, but I
16 definitely filed and continue to file Elca tax
17 returns.
18 Q. Okay. Okay. Have you ever filed --
19 okay. Have you ever filed -- sold or leased
20 property using Elca Associates Partnership?
21 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection. No
22 foundation.
23 Mr. Marshall, you haven't established
24 that Ms. Cohen is a member of Elca or is
25 aware of its activities such that could
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2 testify in response to that question.
3 MR. MARSHALL: Okay.
4 MR. TORNINCASA: This is irrelevant,
5 immaterial, harassing. It's far beyond the
6 scope of the direct examination, and, you
7 know, I'm willing to tolerate this to a
8 point, Mr. Marshall, but eventually, we're
9 going to get the judge involved if you don't
10 take this back to the issues in the
11 complaint very soon.
12 MR. MARSHALL: No, no, I am going to be
13 asking those questions if she was a partner
14 of Elca Associates. I am going to be asking
15 those questions, but I'm going down this in
16 a process, so yes, I will be asking those
17 questions.
18 MR. TORNINCASA: You can try to tie it
19 up however you want, but right now, your
20 questions are all irrelevant, immaterial and
21 are harassing of this witness, who has
22 graciously given us her time during her
23 busiest time of year.
24 MR. MARSHALL: Okay.
25 Q. You can answer.
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2 A. What was the question?
3 Q. Have you ever bought, sold or leased
4 property using Elca Associates Partnership?
5 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections.
6 A. Elca Associates purchased one building
7 when the property -- when the partnership was
8 created and that is all that -- that single
9 property is the only property and still exists in
10 Elca Associates.
11 Q. What is the name -- what is address of
12 that building?
13 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, irrelevant,
14 immaterial, harassing, beyond the scope of
15 the issues in this case, beyond the scope of
16 the direct examination.
17 If you have that knowledge, you can
18 answer.
19 A. I just know it's in Pennsylvania, I do
20 not know its exact address.
21 Q. Okay.
22 MR. MARSHALL: Matt, can you just do an
23 objection without having to go through the
24 whole process so that we can go though that
25 in the court and if you object then you can
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2 explain your reason why you object so we
3 don't have to go through every single one
4 using different formats for objections,
5 please?
6 MR. TORNINCASA: If you're willing to
7 stipulate that we have a standing objection
8 to every one of your questions, that we can
9 supplement for the court with a memorandum
10 of law regarding why each and every one of
11 your questions is objectionable --
12 MR. MARSHALL: Yes.
13 MR. TORNINCASA: -- from now through
14 the end of this examination, I guess that's
15 a reasonable accommodation.
16 MR. MARSHALL: Okay. Thank you.
17 MR. TORNINCASA: With regard to the
18 documentary evidence, though, I still need
19 to get those out on the record.
20 MR. MARSHALL: Okay.
21 Q. Were you a part of doing articles of
22 incorporation or foreign partnership for Elca
23 Associates Partnership?
24 A. I couldn't hear the question.
25 Q. Were you a part of doing articles of
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2 incorporation or a foreign partnership for Elca
3 Associates Partnership?
4 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection. To the
5 supplemented later for stipulation.
6 A. Well, I wasn't a law -- I'm not a
7 lawyer, I didn't form the partnership.
8 Q. Okay. Do you have any documentation
9 that you were a part of Elca Associates
10 Partnership such as e-mails or letters?
11 MR. TORNINCASA: Again, objection.
12 A. I don't understand the question, I'm
13 sorry.
14 Q. Do you have any documentation that you
15 were a part of Elca Associates, such as e-mails
16 or letters?
17 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections.
18 A. I don't -- I don't have any e-mails or
19 letters, but I am a partner in Elca Associates.
20 Q. Did you ever send any e-mails to
21 anybody regarding Elca Associates Partnership?
22 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections.
23 A. Not that I'm aware of. Other --
24 Q. Okay. Let's turn back to Aces
25 Associates. Have you ever discussed with Lois
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2 Haymes on the phone or e-mail about Aces
3 Associates, Limited Partnership?
4 MR. TORNINCASA: My standard litany of
5 objections.
6 A. The only discussion we might have had
7 would be related to the fact that Aces Associates
8 was formed and dissolved in 1988, that it never
9 -- never acquired, owned, held, operated,
10 maintained, leased, financed, or disposed of any
11 real property. It never -- it never became an
12 active entity.
13 Q. Okay.
14 A. It never acquired or performed any of
15 those acts that it had originally been
16 established for and therefore was dissolved in
17 the same year.
18 Q. Okay. Let turn to Exhibit D.
19 MR. TORNINCASA: Was that D as in
20 Delta?
21 MR. MARSHALL: D as in Delta.
22 A. Okay. I've turned to Exhibit D.
23 Q. Exhibit D is a filing endorsement
24 through Michigan Department of Licensing and
25 Regulatory Affairs for Aces Associates, Limited
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2 Partnership. Did you close this partnership on
3 March 5, 2012?
4 MR. TORNINCASA: Object, best evidence
5 rule, no foundation, irrelevant, immaterial,
6 beyond the scope of the examination,
7 hearsay, hearsay on hearsay.
8 A. To the best of my knowledge, this
9 entity was dissolved with the federal government
10 in 2000 -- 1988. It came to the attention of the
11 partner, I guess. It came to the attention of
12 someone that there was an un-filed form in the
13 state of Michigan.
14 Q. Right.
15 A. And therefore, in 2012, to tidy up the
16 open record -- but the partnership itself was
17 dissolved or was dormant and never carried on
18 business. So it was purely --
19 Q. You --
20 A. An -- I would --
21 Q. You signed and -- and you signed and
22 closed this partnership intended with your
23 signature, is that correct?
24 (Reporter clarification.)
25 Q. You signed your signature to tie up and
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2 close down this entity?
3 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, leading.
4 Objection, improper cross. Objection,
5 beyond the scope, irrelevant. Sorry.
6 A. I signed the document for purposes of,
7 as you said, just tying up loose ends. The
8 entity was a dormant partnership and the state of
9 Michigan required this form, and therefore --
10 Q. Why wasn't this -- go ahead.
11 A. And therefore, I signed it.
12 Q. Why wasn't Aces Associates, Limited
13 Partnership closed in 2010 when your partner
14 Allan Haymes died?
15 A. We were -- we were unaware that there
16 was loose ends.
17 Q. Okay. Exhibit E is a comprehensive
18 business report of private investigator Frank
19 Roman that I received on December 15, 2012, as
20 identified in the upper left-hand corner.
21 A. Exhibit E?
22 Q. Page --
23 MR. TORNINCASA: Mr. Marshall, we can't
24 hear you.
25 Q. Okay. Are you -- okay. Page 2 of 4
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2 has a corporate filing number. Under corporate
3 filing number 1, what is the name type?
4 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, irrelevant,
5 immaterial, beyond the scope. This
6 investigative report is an improper summary.
7 The best evidence of this information is not
8 being presented to this witness. This is
9 hearsay, this is hearsay on hearsay. This
10 document is illegible, the writing on it is
11 so faded that it's impossible to read
12 certain parts of it. This document appears
13 to be incomplete. We object to any use of
14 this document. And objection, lack of
15 foundation, no predicate.
16 A. What was your question?
17 Q. What is the legal address for this
18 property -- for this partnership -- what is the
19 legal address for this partnership?
20 A. It doesn't.
21 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objection.
22 A. It doesn't read -- it doesn't read a
23 legal address. It just -- the address is a New
24 York address. That was the attorney.
25 Q. Read the address.
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2 A. 950 Third Avenue, New York, New York
3 10022, and it's just a law -- that's a legal
4 address where the law firm who incorporated, who
5 set up the activity.
6 Q. Under the second to last section, it
7 states, As of September 2nd, 2004. What is so
8 particular about this address or this date?
9 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections.
10 A. Not -- I'm -- offhand, I don't know.
11 Q. Okay.
12 A. I don't even see where this --
13 Q. The last page, Dun & Bradstreet shows
14 the annual sales in 2010 as $130,000 and shows a
15 failed revision date of May 18, 2012 and shows
16 the Aces Associates, Limited Partnership is a
17 securely brokering dealer. Did you report any of
18 this to Dun & Bradstreet?
19 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections.
20 A. This is not --
21 MR. TORNINCASA: Irrelevant,
22 immaterial, harassing. Mr. Marshall, you
23 are misreading these documents. These
24 documents are illegible. You are attempting
25 to lead the witness. There's no foundation.
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2 These documents have not been properly
3 admitted. This document is a summary. It
4 is an improper summary. It's hearsay on
5 hearsay.
6 THE WITNESS: Okay, wait...
7 MR. TORNINCASA: It's not the best
8 evidence of the information which you are
9 seeking.
10 A. To the best of my knowledge, reading
11 this Dun & Bradstreet report, this is a different
12 entity. This is an Aces Associates that was
13 established in 2010. This is -- I have nothing
14 to -- I have no relationship with this entity, to
15 the best of my knowledge. This is -- there
16 are --
17 Q. Okay.
18 A. A different company.
19 Q. Do you know a gentleman by the name --
20 MR. TORNINCASA: What was that,
21 Mr. Marshall?
22 Q. Do you know a gentleman by the name of
23 Jeffrey Moerdler, M-O-E-R-D-L-E-R?
24 A. Absolutely not.
25 Q. Okay. Do you know of a gentleman by
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2 the name of Levine Mintz, M-I-N-T-Z?
3 A. Absolutely not.
4 Q. Okay. Let's turn to Exhibit H, which
5 is an entity information through New York
6 Department of State, Division of Corporations for
7 210 CPS Associates, LLC. Do you know of this
8 LLC?
9 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, this
10 document is not best evidence. This
11 document is not certified. There's no
12 foundation. This document is hearsay
13 without being subject to any of the
14 exceptions. It appears to be a summary
15 document, which would be hearsay on hearsay.
16 It is irrelevant, immaterial, beyond the
17 scope.
18 Mr. Marshall, at this point you've
19 spent close to 45 minutes harassing
20 Ms. Cohen with irrelevant information. If
21 you go another ten minutes, we're going to
22 call the court this morning and we're going
23 to bring this to his attention and allow the
24 court to decide whether this line of
25 questions should continue.
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2 MR. MARSHALL: Okay. This is about
3 property at 210 Central Park South, Mr.
4 Tornincasa. This is regarding the sale of
5 property from 2005 and 2012.
6 MR. TORNINCASA: Mr. Marshall, it's
7 already been established that Mr. Haymes
8 rented at 210 and didn't own any property
9 there.
10 MR. MARSHALL: I realize that. I
11 realize that. Just because you rent it,
12 that doesn't mean you could own -- the
13 partnership for Aces Associates doesn't
14 always talk about owning, it talks about
15 leasing, financing, not just renting, okay.
16 So that partnership discussed is unrelated
17 to property other than straight ownership by
18 an individual.
19 MR. TORNINCASA: Mr. Marshall, you
20 haven't established that Aces Associates
21 owned this property. We've now, with the
22 assistance of the witness, established
23 there's at least two Aces Associates in the
24 world.
25 MR. MARSHALL: Right.
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2 MR. TORNINCASA: You haven't
3 established that the proper Aces Associates
4 own the property. If you wish to question
5 the witness about these issues, you need to
6 do it correctly. You need to establish the
7 predicate facts, which you have not yet
8 done. You've not connected any of these
9 facts to any of the issues in this lawsuit,
10 which is about the testamentary capacity of
11 Allan Haymes and your allegations that Lois
12 Haymes unduly influenced her father to
13 change the will.
14 MR. MARSHALL: Right, right, right.
15 This deposition is not about Allan Haymes'
16 testamentary capacity because this
17 deposition -- Ellen Cohen was not involved
18 in his abilities. This deposition is more
19 or less about Aces Associates, Limited
20 Partnership and Elca Associates Partnership.
21 And you flew down -- up to New York for this
22 reason only, okay. You didn't fly to New
23 York regarding Allan Haymes' capacity to
24 make his own decisions because she was never
25 involved in that, she does not know Zylo
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 Marshall, she does not know very much about
3 Allan Haymes' everyday situation in Florida,
4 okay?
5 MR. TORNINCASA: Mr. Marshall, you get
6 --
7 THE WITNESS: Can I repeat, though? I
8 want to make a statement. Aces Associates
9 never owned, and that really pretty much
10 explains my situation. Aces Associates
11 never owned, acquired, held, operated,
12 maintained, leased, financed, disposed of
13 real property or any or acts incidental or
14 necessary to pursue onto said business and
15 the partnership agreement. It was dormant,
16 it was a dormant entity.
17 MR. MARSHALL: Okay.
18 THE WITNESS: It was never an owner,
19 releasor, an operator or any other thing of
20 210 Central Park South or any other
21 property, for that matter. So I've
22 established that.
23 Q. Okay. Let's turn to Exhibit S, which
24 is another report from private investigator,
25 Frank Roman, as in exhibit -- as in -- okay. As
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 in the articles of incorporation for Aces
3 Associates in Exhibit A and B, Exhibit S, under
4 "associated people," Ellen Cohen, Allan Haymes,
5 and Alan Simon are the business contacts; is that
6 correct?
7 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections. This
8 is harassing, irrelevant, immaterial, beyond
9 the scope of the direct. This document is
10 not best evidence of the information which
11 you're seeking to call into the record.
12 This is an improper summary. This purported
13 exhibit is hearsay, it's hearsay on hearsay.
14 It's not the official business records, it's
15 an improper summary. There's no foundation.
16 It's not been properly authenticated, and we
17 object to any use of this document.
18 A. My name is yes -- yes, my name is
19 listed.
20 Q. Okay.
21 A. But it was a dormant entity. I will
22 repeat that again to you, Zylo, it was a dormant
23 entity. It was in existence for one year, 1988.
24 The final tax returns were filed. It was
25 dormant. It did not own, lease, acquire, rent,
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2 anything.
3 Q. Okay. Let's turn to number 4 on page
4 2. Do you know of a sale on April 30, 2008?
5 MR. TORNINCASA: Same objections,
6 irrelevant, immaterial.
7 THE WITNESS: What is this?
8 MR. TORNINCASA: Harassing, beyond the
9 scope of direct, no foundation, improper
10 summary, hearsay, hearsay on hearsay, not
11 the best evidence, no foundation, no
12 predicate.
13 A. I know -- no -- I have no privy or --
14 no information concerning 210 Central Park South
15 or whatever that is, 210, LLC. I have absolutely
16 no involvement, never have, in any capacity,
17 through any partnership or individual for 210
18 Central Park South or 210, LLC.
19 Q. Okay. So you don't know anything about
20 Aces Associates, you know nothing about Aces
21 Property and Holding, 210 --
22 A. Excuse me? I know, Aces Associates, I
23 do --
24 MR. TORNINCASA: Excuse me, can I
25 interrupt you?
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2 Objection. That was a blatant
3 mischaracterization of her testimony. Her
4 testimony was very specific that she knows
5 about Aces Associates, that it was organized
6 to acquire property and it subsequently did
7 not acquire property and it had no active
8 operations since its organization. I resent
9 your attempt to re-characterize that
10 statement into a blanket statement that she
11 has no knowledge about any aspect of Aces
12 Associates, Mr. Marshall.
13 MR. MARSHALL: Okay, all right. Just
14 give me a few more seconds here, I think --
15 she doesn't know much about any sales of any
16 property at 210 Central Park South. Give me
17 a second, please, so I can look at my notes
18 and I don't have to ask the same questions
19 over again.
20 MR. TORNINCASA: Take as much time as
21 you need, sir.
22 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: The time is 10:16
23 a.m., and we are going off the record.
24 (Pause.)
25 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: The time is 10:17
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 a.m., and we are back on the record.
3 EXAMINATION CONTINUED
4 BY MR. MARSHALL:
5 Q. Do you know anything about Hallmark
6 Holding Company?
7 MR. TORNINCASA: What was that,
8 Mr. Marshall?
9 Q. Do you know anything about Hallmark
10 Holding Company, Inc.?
11 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, irrelevant,
12 beyond the scope, immaterial.
13 A. No, I do not.
14 Q. Okay. Turn to Exhibit P.
15 A. P.
16 Q. Okay. Exhibit P is a Department of
17 State, Division of Corporations, which state that
18 no business entities were found for Elca
19 Associates.
20 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection.
21 Q. Did you ever --
22 MR. TORNINCASA: Sorry, finish your
23 question first.
24 MR. MARSHALL: Go ahead, go ahead, go
25 ahead.
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2 MR. TORNINCASA: No, please finish your
3 question so I can get all the objections out
4 at once.
5 Q. Did you ever communicate with Shari
6 Cohen, an attorney for Craig Donoff -- did you
7 ever communicate with Shari Cohen, another
8 attorney at Craig Donoff's office regarding Elca
9 Associates?
10 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, that's
11 compound. You started with an exhibit and
12 you ended with something completely
13 different. Objection, irrelevant,
14 immaterial and beyond the scope of the
15 direct. Objection, that exhibit is hearsay.
16 It contains hearsay on hearsay without being
17 subject to any of the exceptions. That
18 exhibit is not the best evidence available.
19 It has apparently been modified in addition
20 -- I can't even tell if that's your notes or
21 that's a printing error there, Mr. Marshall.
22 There's no foundation for this question,
23 it's improper predicate. This evidence has
24 not been properly introduced. It's not of
25 record.
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2 You can answer, if you can.
3 A. I don't even know what the question
4 was.
5 Q. Okay. This means that the Department
6 of State, Division of Corporations which states
7 that no business entities were found for Elca
8 Associates, are you aware of that? With this
9 documentation, does that show that there is no --
10 A. Well, I don't know what the -- I don't
11 know where this -- where this was printed from,
12 but Elca Associates owns a property in
13 Pennsylvania, as I already --
14 Q. Okay.
15 A. So it's -- its source income is the
16 state of Pennsylvania, and therefore --
17 Q. Okay.
18 A. -- I don't know, you know -- I don't
19 know what this is telling -- what this is --
20 statement is about.
21 Q. Okay. Did you ever communicate with
22 Shari Cohen regarding Elca Associates, an
23 attorney in Craig Donoff's office?
24 A. It's possible. I don't remember names,
25 you know, her name necessarily, although I did
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 have some -- because for purposes of preparing
3 and an Elca tax return, I might have spoken to
4 someone at Craig Donoff's office. I'm not -- I
5 cannot remember her name or his name.
6 Q. Turn to Exhibit K, which is an e-mail
7 you sent to Shari Cohen at Craig Donoff's office.
8 A. Okay, right. Great, then that was her
9 name, you're correct.
10 Q. Right. Did you send this e-mail to
11 Shari Cohen?
12 A. Yes, I did.
13 Q. And the balance of this partnership is
14 $56,420.50 for Elca Associates, is that correct?
15 A. At that date?
16 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, calls for
17 hearsay, the document speaks for itself.
18 This is again irrelevant, immaterial and
19 beyond the scope of the direct examination.
20 A. But yes, that's what -- on that date?
21 Q. Yes.
22 A. Yes, that was the -- those were the --
23 the dollar amounts in the accounts.
24 Q. Isn't it true half of $56,420.50 is
25 $28,210.25? Isn't it true that's half of what
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 $56,420.50 is?
3 MR. TORNINCASA: Objection, leading,
4 immaterial, beyond the scope. The math is
5 self-explanatory, Mr. Marshall.
6 A. What --
7 MR. TORNINCASA: Is there a point to
8 this question, sir?
9 Q. How can $7,457.87 --
10 A. What -- when?
11 Q. -- incur?
12 A. When did Allan die?
13 Q. He died September 2010.
14 A. So you're talking about two dates. The
15 total balance at his death, which I didn't put
16 the date, but it says at Allan's death, was 35 --
17 was 35,000 and change, but as of -- as of the
18 date of that letter, December 9th, it was 56, so
19 it's -- you're talking two months difference.
20 Q. Okay. How can interest of 7,457.87
21 incur from September 2010 until December of 2010?
22 MR. TORNINCASA: Mr. Marshall,
23 objection, irrelevant, immaterial, beyond
24 the scope. You're assuming facts not in
25 evidence. There is nothing in this exhibit
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1 Ellen Cohen
2 or document which suggests any sort of
3 interest. If you're going to represent
4 yourself, you need to conduct yourself as
5 close as possible to a lawyer, Mr. Marshall.
6 MR. MARSHALL: This is the last
7 question, Mr. Tornincasa.
8 A. This is a rental.
9 Q. This is the last question.
10 A. This is a rental property.
11 Q. Oh, what was a rental property?
12 A. Elca Associates.
13 MR. MARSHALL: Okay. All right.
14 Nothing further, thank you.
15 MR. TORNINCASA: Just a couple recross
16 questions, Ms. Cohen.
17 RE-EXAMINATION
18 BY MR. TORNINCASA:
19 Q. Do you have any special affinities or
20 special hostility in favor of or against Lois
21 Haymes or Zylo Marshall?
22 A. No.
23 Q. Just to clarify for the record, did
24 Aces Associates ever have any formal operations?
25 A. Not that I'm aware of.
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2 MR. TORNINCASA: Okay. Nothing
3 further. Thank you for your time today.
4 THE WITNESS: You're welcome.
5 THE VIDEOGRAPHER: The time is
6 10:24 a.m. on March 5, 2014, and this
7 completes the videotaped deposition of
8 Ms. Ellen Cohen.
9
10 -o0o-
11
12 (Whereupon, the deposition of ELLEN
13 COHEN was concluded at 10:23 a.m.)
14
15
16 ELLEN COHEN
17
18
19 Subscribed and sworn to before me this day
20 of , 2014
21
22 NOTARY PUBLIC
23
24
25
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2 I N D E X
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WITNESS EXAMINATION BY PAGE4
E. Cohen Mr. Tornincasa 4-19, 655
E. Cohen Mr. Marshall 19-656
7 EXHIBITS
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1
2 C E R T I F I C A T E
3 I, ALLISON FOWLER, a shorthand
4 reporter and Notary Public within and for
5 the State of New York, do hereby certify:
6 That the witness(es) whose
7 testimony is hereinbefore set forth was
8 duly sworn by me, and the foregoing
9 transcript is a true record of the
10 testimony given by such witness(es).
11 I further certify that I am not
12 related to any of the parties to this
13 action by blood or marriage, and that I am
14 in no way interested in the outcome of this
15 matter.
16
17
18 ALLISON FOWLER
19
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$130,000 51:14$28,210.25 63:25$56,420.50 63:1463:24 64:2
$7,457.87 64:9a.m 1:22 3:5 59:2360:2 66:6,13
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Alan 35:19 37:2,537:7 57:5
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Allan's 16:4,18,2218:19 26:2564:16
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