Key Figure in Stewart Trial Dies After Collapsing at Train Stop

AP ^ | 2-26-04

[nuconvert]

Key Figure in Stewart Trial Dies After Collapsing at Train Stop

Feb. 26, 2004

By Erin McClam / Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - An important figure in the Martha Stewart stock-fraud trial collapsed at a train station and died, just two days after giving testimony that appeared to damage the defense. Jeremiah Gutman, an 80-year-old lawyer who once represented the star witness for the prosecution, collapsed Wednesday on a Metro-North platform in Hastings in suburban Westchester County.

He was found unconscious on a staircase and died later at a hospital, Metro-North spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said Thursday. The cause was an apparent heart attack, associates of the lawyer said.

Gutman represented Merrill Lynch & Co. assistant Douglas Faneuil in early 2002, shortly after Faneuil handled Stewart's sale of nearly 3,928 shares of ImClone Systems stock.

Faneuil initially told investigators Stewart sold after he gave her a stock quote. But he changed his story in 2002, saying broker Peter Bacanovic had ordered him to tip Stewart that ImClone CEO Sam Waksal was trying to sell his own shares.

Gutman testified on Monday, called as a witness by Bacanovic's lawyers - but his testimony appeared to backfire on the defense as he backed up essential pieces of Faneuil's story.

Gutman testified that Faneuil was distraught to the point of tears in the early days of the ImClone investigation - months before he went to the government and claimed he had lied for Bacanovic.

Earlier in the trial, Faneuil testified that Gutman had told him he knew about a deal between Merrill Lynch and the government to ignore any wrongdoing by Stewart and hand over Waksal "on a silver platter."

The defense has claimed that story is a lie. But Gutman said on the stand that he told Faneuil "something like that."

Gutman said a Merrill official "had told me that he was working on making a deal and that deal would involve getting all Merrill Lynch people off the hook, and let the chips fall where they may."

The lawyer also said Faneuil told him he told his bosses at Merrill were "merciless and immoral."

Merrill has denied the existence of any deal.

Gutman was active in the civil rights movement in the South in the 1960s and devoted much of his life to protecting the First Amendment, said Joan Bertin, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship.

"He was committed to a full range of civil rights and racial equality and gender equality, but I think he appreciated in a way that many people don't how those issues stand on the shoulders of the right to free expression and political dissent," Bertin said.

[tracer]

He probably was shakily on his way home after seeing it. At least the poor guy wasn't killed with an unregistered handgun. Peace to him and his family....

[tracer]

"....plus she's looking into a jail cell."

But nothing that a throw rug, a little paint, some wall paper, a few scented candles, and bright and cheery window treatments couldn't improve, however....

[tracer]

What does GW know about this? And when did he know it?

The man's chilly death cleary is "all about oil"...........

[Grampa Dave]

Well, Martha was one of the biggest contributors to both of the Clintoons, Bubba and $enator Hildebea$t.

Draw your own conclusions.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

...gender equality.

Hmmm...

[Sacajaweau]

After listening to a few attorneys debate the Martha trial, it became pretty obvious that they are pretty confident that one member of the jury will upset the applecart and Martha will say "See, I told you I would be proved innocent".

In the meantime, my best course is to set the table MY WAY and "never buy from the Stewart line".

[yonif]

Must have been under a lot of pressure.

[bondjamesbond]

Are they sure he is dead?

Not sure. He'll be billing for another month-and-a-half!

[Snardius]

This is why many of the famous have their accounts at Merrill Lynch...they like their executions.

[cake_crumb]

Heck, my knee jerk reaction was that the timing is suspicious. "Marthacide"?

[small voice in the wilderness]

Yep. Hoisted by her own silver monogrammed petard.

[cake_crumb]

"Cakegate."

HEY! Leave me outta this!

[cake_crumb]

"Are they sure he is dead?"

Bet he still votes.

[truthkeeper]

Too bad. May he rest in peace.

[Axenolith]

Great tag dude! From the best 3 chord band of all time :)

[archy]

Great tag dude! From the best 3 chord band of all time :)

Seems appropriate to this thread, too....

[Piranha]

For Martha, that's a good thing.

[Don Corleone]

unless it was after midnight, these metro north trains are loaded with passengers.

After midnight its mostly muggers!

[isom35]

shall we alert John Steed?

[archy]

shall we alert John Steed?

*Mrs. Peel, we're needed...*