Espada judge promises quicker criminal tax trial
Last Updated:
6:28 PM, June 12, 2012
Posted:
6:27 PM, June 12, 2012
This ain’t Brooklyn, buster!
A testy Manhattan federal judge today smacked ex-state Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., his son and Brooklyn federal prosecutors as he vowed that their upcoming criminal tax trial be would be much quicker than their recent, related two-month embezzlement trial across the river.
“It’s not going to take seven to eight weeks to try this case,” Judge William Pauley warned the Espadas and the Brooklyn prosecutors, who were ordered to begin trying the case Nov. 5.
“I’m going to tell both Espadas right now that they better get busy retaining counsel,” Pauley brusquely said of the duo, who dropped the pricey lawyers they used in the Brooklyn trial in favor of court-appointed attorneys at their arraignment in the tax case yesterday.
“I’m not going to countenance any lengthy delay,” snapped Pauley.
At one point during the proceeding, Brooklyn prosecutor Todd Kaminsky was standing up, and Pauley asked, “Do you have something to say?”
“No,” Kaminsky replied.
“Then sit down!” Pauley barked.
After a lengthy trial in Brooklyn, Espada was convicted last month of embezzling nearly $500,000 from the taxpayer-funded Bronx healthcare non-profit he controlled by having it pay for his myriad personal expenses, which were disguised as business his expenses. Jurors could not reach a verdict on any of the counts related to his son, Pedro Gautier Espada, and some counts related to the elder Espada.
In the Manhattan case — which is being prosecuted by Brooklyn prosecutors because the case was assembled in their office — the Espadas are accused of tax crimes related to the alleged embezzlement at Soundview Health Care Network and a cleaning company controlled by the clan.
dan.mangan@nypost.com
A testy Manhattan federal judge today smacked ex-state Sen. Pedro Espada Jr., his son and Brooklyn federal prosecutors as he vowed that their upcoming criminal tax trial be would be much quicker than their recent, related two-month embezzlement trial across the river.
“It’s not going to take seven to eight weeks to try this case,” Judge William Pauley warned the Espadas and the Brooklyn prosecutors, who were ordered to begin trying the case Nov. 5.
“I’m going to tell both Espadas right now that they better get busy retaining counsel,” Pauley brusquely said of the duo, who dropped the pricey lawyers they used in the Brooklyn trial in favor of court-appointed attorneys at their arraignment in the tax case yesterday.
At one point during the proceeding, Brooklyn prosecutor Todd Kaminsky was standing up, and Pauley asked, “Do you have something to say?”
“No,” Kaminsky replied.
“Then sit down!” Pauley barked.
After a lengthy trial in Brooklyn, Espada was convicted last month of embezzling nearly $500,000 from the taxpayer-funded Bronx healthcare non-profit he controlled by having it pay for his myriad personal expenses, which were disguised as business his expenses. Jurors could not reach a verdict on any of the counts related to his son, Pedro Gautier Espada, and some counts related to the elder Espada.
In the Manhattan case — which is being prosecuted by Brooklyn prosecutors because the case was assembled in their office — the Espadas are accused of tax crimes related to the alleged embezzlement at Soundview Health Care Network and a cleaning company controlled by the clan.
dan.mangan@nypost.com
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/espada_judge_promises_quicker_criminal_lKtZvIXg8pz1eHupdjO0FM#ixzz1xdk9KEAq
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