Judge Hellerstein Dies at 92 While Handling Maduro and Trump Cases

The criminal case against former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the ongoing dispute over Donald Trump’s New York state trial lost their presiding judge on Wednesday. Alvin Hellerstein, 92, died, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Hellerstein assumed the Maduro matter in January, shortly after his 92nd birthday. He had been managing issues related to that case since 2014. Simultaneously, he was navigating a procedural battle where Trump’s legal team sought to transfer his state criminal case into federal court.

Appointed to the federal bench in 2020 by President Bill Clinton at age 64, Hellerstein spent three decades on the court. His docket included litigation stemming from the September 11 attacks, the Abu Ghraib prison abuse evidence, and the Ponzi scheme trial of David Hu. Last year, he ruled against Trump’s application of the Alien Enemies Act in a deportation dispute involving Venezuelans.

In the Trump matter, Hellerstein consistently rejected arguments that the payments to Michael Cohen constituted official presidential duties. A state jury convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a payment to Stephanie Clifford. On August 28, following a 2024 Supreme Court immunity ruling, Hellerstein reaffirmed that the trial evidence did not infringe on presidential immunity.

The judge’s recent work drew scrutiny after reporters observed him appearing to briefly fall asleep during the trial of a CEO convicted of a $175 million fraud against JPMorgan. Barry Pollack, an attorney for Maduro, sent a text message expressing condolences to Hellerstein’s family upon learning of the death.

Legal experts suggest the transition may not cause major disruptions. Duncan Levin, a former federal prosecutor, stated there is no automatic pause in proceedings. A successor judge could maintain the current schedule or adjust dates as necessary, relying on their ability to process the existing paperwork.

The court has not yet announced who will take over the cases. The Southern District of New York confirmed the news on Wednesday evening.