A Brooklyn man has filed a lawsuit alleging that the United States Postal Service (USPS) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) failed to provide documents responsive to his Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and are withholding records related to a homicide investigation.
According to the lawsuit filed by plaintiff John Derounian, he sought records connected to a federal investigation into his alleged involvement in the death of Marilyn Mosberg-Shapiro. He asserts that during a bond hearing on January 31, 2018, Assistant United States Attorney Mark Misorek made statements suggesting Derounian’s involvement in the woman’s death, based on an investigation conducted by USPIS. However, both USPS and USPIS have denied the existence of any such records. A response from Lisa Frazier of USPIS reportedly stated that no relevant documents exist.
Derounian is requesting declaratory and injunctive relief, asking the court to compel the agencies to conduct thorough searches for any records. He also seeks remedies, including discovery and an in-camera review of documents.
The complaint outlines several causes of action, including improper withholding of records under FOIA; failure to conduct adequate searches; alleged bad faith in withholding or concealing records; violation of federal records management and litigation hold requirements; and denial of access under the Privacy Act.
The plaintiff is representing himself in this matter. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under Case No. 1:25-cv-03596-JAM and is presided over by Judge Joan M. Azrack.