Who is Alvin Hellerstein? 92-year-old hush money judge tapped for Maduro case

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein has handled numerous weighty cases in his nearly three decades on the bench, including matters involving Trump, the 9/11 attacks and Sudanese genocide.

Now, the 92-year-old Manhattan judge is presiding over what could be his biggest case yet.

Hellerstein arraigned Nicolás Maduro and Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, on Monday, kickstarting a judicial assignment that was on hold for six years as Maduro eluded arrest after U.S. prosecutors first indicted him.

In the meantime, Hellerstein, a Clinton appointment, has been presiding over cases involving some of Maduro’s co-defendants. He presided over Trump’s hush money trial along with other high-profile cases.

Maduro and his wife were transported from jail in Brooklyn to a Manhattan courtroom before rush hour.
He appeared to give Chopper 4 a “thumbs up” as he was removed from a vehicle.

Hellerstein started his legal career as a clerk with the Hon. Edmund Palmiere in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York. He later joined the U.S. Army and served in private practice for a number of years. A Clinton appointment, he was confirmed in October 1998 and assumed senior status in January 2011.

Senior status is semi-retirement for eligible judges, giving them extra flexibility and a reduced caseload while creating a judicial vacancy for the next appointment.

By NBC