A federal judge on Long Island has banned from his courtroom for life a defense lawyer who claimed the judge improperly communicated with a co-defendant's lawyer.
Eastern District Judge Leonard D. Wexler said the "lies" contained in an affidavit submitted by attorney Joseph J. Fleischman made him so furious that he could not proceed with an ongoing trial in which Fleischman represented the main defendant.
"I think the half-truths and the lies by Mr. Fleischman have messed this up," Wexler said, according to a transcript of a March 1 hearing. "And therefore I declare a mistrial."
The judge barred Fleischman from ever again practicing before him and he also barred Fleischman's law firm, Bridgewater, N.J.'s Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, so long as Fleischman remained a partner at the firm.