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
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