Family of Slain Polish Professor Seeks Custody of His Children

According to Greek media, the family had filed with the Athens Juvenile Prosecutor's Office for permission to move their kids abroad in order to ensure that the children would be safe and protected.

Jeziorski, 43 years old, was gunned down July 4 by two contract killers outside the suburban Athens residence of his ex-wife, Konstantina "Nadia" Michelidaki.

He was supposed to pick his sons up after a custody hearing. The Polish scholar, who taught at the University of California, Berkeley, had previously applied for a domestic violence restraining order against Michelidaki, which was rejected by a California court mere weeks before he died.

Greek investigators think the murder was premeditated and had something to do with a long-running custody battle between his ex-wife.

Custody Dispute Turns Deadly
Michelidaki, 43, has been accused of complicity in murder and is still being held. Her boyfriend, Christos D., 35, has allegedly admitted to the killing and says he alone is responsible. The couple's children have been in the care of a children's hospital since the incident, authorities said.

Lawyers for the Jeziorski family said in a statement that they have petitioned to be granted exclusive custody of their nephews and sought legal authorization to remove them from Greece.

The family already knew each other, and the goal of the two adults was to give these children, they pledged across a slick table with cups of water and baseball caps scattered about, "stability, peace of mind, and continuity in an environment where health ranks over everything else."

Greek prosecutors are now considering the request from her family as they investigate a murder case that has attracted international scrutiny because of its complexity and cross-border legal implications.

Ongoing Investigation Involving Multiple Suspects
Aside from Michelidaki and her partner, Greek police have apprehended three other suspects — two Albanian citizens and a Bulgarian man -- who they say also took part in the murder.

Greek authorities are also examining court documents from California that include an earlier legal effort by Jeziorski to seek protection from his ex-wife as part of a broader investigation into the circumstances leading up to his death.

The tragic story shines a light on the dangers and complexities of international custody battles, prompting outcries in Greece as well as Poland.

The fate of the twin children is now in the hands of a Greek juvenile court, which will have to balance all legal, emotional, and safety issues involved.