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Federal judge who oversaw Maduro, Trump cases dead at 92
US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who oversaw proceedings involving Nicolás Maduro and Donald Trump, has died aged 92. His death means a new judge will be randomly assigned to Maduro’s case, which concerns serious allegations against the former Venezuelan president and his wife.
Hellerstein had served on the Southern District of New York bench since 1998, following appointment by President Bill Clinton, and died of natural causes shortly before his 93rd birthday. Maduro and Cilia Flores have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges; their trial is scheduled for June 2027. Hellerstein had recently denied Flores’s request for release from jail to home confinement.
In short
- Judge Alvin Hellerstein has died aged 92.
- A new judge will be assigned to Maduro’s case.
- Maduro and Flores deny the charges; trial is set for June 2027.
Explained simply
The Southern District of New York is a federal court that hears cases in Manhattan and nearby areas. Federal judges are appointed for life, and a judge assigned to a case oversees court hearings and makes legal decisions as it proceeds.
Nicolás Maduro was Venezuela’s president for many years, and Cilia Flores is his wife and a former politician. They face US criminal charges, which they deny; the case is at an early stage, and a trial is scheduled for 2027.
Donald Trump has also been involved in cases before the same judge. The allegations against Maduro and Flores concern a foreign head of state and raise questions about how US courts handle cases involving people who have held power abroad.
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