Posted on 04/29/2003 12:02:49 PM PDT by Liz
Miami businessman Jerome Berlin, once described as the country's most powerful Democratic fundraisers, died in a murder-suicide this morning at the Signature Grand, the huge and popular Davie banquet hall in Davie that he owned with partner Michael Pecora.
Police say Pecora is the other person found dead in a second floor office of the hall.
An employee reported hearing a loud argument, then three gunshots behind the locked door. The shooting occurred following a loud argument while hundreds of public school students ate lunch one floor below.
Police broke in and found two white males -- a part of the catering hall's upper management -- on the floor.
The shooting occurred during an event where eighth-graders from Broward public schools were learning more about African tradition at an African Heritage Forum.
The children, who were eating lunch on the first floor, were not evacuated. It was unclear whether the children knew what was going on above them.
The banquet hall hosts hundreds of events a year, including weddings, corporate events, luncheons, reunions and other events.
It has 100,000 square feet, capable of hosting up to 1,800 guests in private areas.
Police stopped traffic on State Road 84 near 70th Avenue. Berlin, who over the years has raised millions of dollars for political candidates, was acquitted in 1991 of federal charges that he and another lawyer conspired to defraud a crippled securities investment firm in 1985.
At the scene of the shooting, a Rabbi and family members appeared at the scene of the shooting and were quickly ushered inside the building.
Jerome Berlin, a lawyer who was indicted in 1990, and later acquitted, of federal conspiracy charges of bribing public officials.
A real sweetheart, this guy.
Nah.
Lover's spat.
Partner?...Hmm.
And 2 more votes for the Dem Presidential candidate in '04!
"When I did my considerable research to find and hire a training company to help us improve some of the relationships and communication in our organization, I never anticipated anything like the outcome we received. I selected your organization, as it was the only one which I felt responded specifically to our needs - both in terms of the budget and the issues. The atmosphere and attitude have measurably improved. Overall, pretty amazing stuff. It has been more immediately valuable than I ever would have imagined, and I am quite confident that it will pay for years to come."
Michael Pecora, CEO, Signature Grand
Good ol' irony, eh?
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