Overview
- Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty at a Manhattan hearing where Judge Alvin Hellerstein opened by saying he intends to ensure a fair trial.
- Hellerstein, 92, is an Orthodox Jew who displays the Torah verse “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof” in his chambers and has described scheduling sentencings on Fridays to reflect during Shabbat.
- Appointed to the bench in 1998 and on senior status since 2011, he has overseen major matters including 9/11 litigation, the Abu Ghraib photo case, Harvey Weinstein civil proceedings, and significant financial fraud cases.
- His recent high-profile decisions include ordering Michael Cohen’s release, denying Donald Trump’s bid to move a state criminal case to federal court, and rejecting a 2025 attempt to use a wartime statute to deport alleged gang members to Venezuela.
- Prosecutors charge Maduro with narco-terrorism tied to cocaine trafficking; he was seized in Caracas and brought to New York, and the next court date is set for mid-March with jurisdiction and capture challenges expected.