Judge Overseeing Maduro Case in New York Dies Before Trial
Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who was overseeing the criminal trial of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, passed away from natural causes on Wednesday at the age of 92.
The court’s chief judge, Laura Taylor Swain, confirmed his death and commended her late colleague, according to The Hill.
“Judge Hellerstein was an insightful and dedicated lawyer who, following a distinguished career in the private sector, served with distinction for over 25 years as a distinguished jurist of this court,” she said in a statement.
“His energetic and dedicated service to this Court continued until his death. He is greatly appreciated and will be sorely missed.”
“Our deepest sympathies are with his family at this sad time,” Swain added.
Maduro’s lawyer said in a statement to ABC News, “We were saddened to learn of Judge Hellerstein’s passing and offer our condolences to his family.”
Hellerstein was appointed to the bench in 1998 by former Democratic President Bill Clinton and received renewed media attention after Maduro was captured by U.S. forces to stand trial, alongside his wife, Cilia Flores.
Hellerstein had already been assigned the Maduro case before the U.S. military captured the socialist head of state back in January.
The two defendants were in his courtroom less than two weeks ago and pleaded not guilty.
Court spokesman Ed Friedland said the case will now be randomly assigned to another judge, Politico reported.
Hellerstein was also assigned to an indictment of a Maduro co-defendant back in 2011, the same year he assumed senior status.
He graduated from Columbia College and Columbia Law School and went on to work in the military justice branch of the U.S. Army, before spending decades in private practice.
As for Maduro, the Department of Justice issued a news release earlier this month outlining the charges.
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Both Maduro and his wife were charged with “conspiring to commit torture, narcoterrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.”
Attorney General Todd Blanche commented on the case, saying that, “Since the capture and arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, the Department of Justice has been working to uncover the extent of their alleged crimes against the people of Venezuela and of the United States.”
“These additional charges against the Maduros reflect the dedication of this Administration to delivering justice for the victims of torture, narcoterrorism, and organized crime,” he explained.
FBI Director Kash Patel added, “As alleged in the indictment, the Maduro regime subjected American citizens to torture while held in custody of the Venezuelan government — including drugs, electric shock, sexual assault, and more.”
“These charges follow the historic law enforcement-operation proudly supported by this FBI in January arresting Maduro and executing one of the most daring Foreign Transfers of Custody in United States history, returning him and his wife to the U.S. — an operation which required months of coordination, detailed planning, and seamless execution across multiple components of the federal government led by the Department of War,” he concluded.
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