Federal Judge Who Oversaw Maduro Case Dies at 92

For nearly three decades, Alvin K. Hellerstein served as a federal judge in Manhattan, overseeing high-profile cases involving former President Donald Trump, the 9/11 attacks, and the captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. He died on Wednesday at the age of 92.

Edward Friedland, the chief executive of the federal courts in the Southern District of New York, confirmed the death. The cause of death was not immediately released. Hellerstein had recently remained active in the Maduro case, presiding over a hearing on conspiracy charges related to narcoterrorism just two weeks before his death.

A court spokesperson stated that the Maduro case has now been assigned to Judge Analisa Torres. Maduro was captured earlier this year in a surprise operation. The transition of the case marks the end of a lengthy judicial tenure that began when President Bill Clinton appointed Hellerstein to the federal bench in 1998.

Hellerstein served as a district judge until 2011, when he assumed senior status. Prior to his judgeship, he worked as a litigating attorney in Manhattan and served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. His career was defined by his handling of the 9/11 litigation, which involved dozens of lawsuits for wrongful death, injuries, and property damage that continued for twenty years.

In August, Hellerstein issued a ruling that rejected Trump’s attempt to overturn his conviction in the hush-money case. The judge denied the request to move the state-level case to federal jurisdiction and dismissed the argument that presidential immunity required dismissal. This was the third time Hellerstein denied such requests, following a prior denial after Trump’s indictment in March 2023 and another after his conviction in May 2024.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals had previously ordered Hellerstein to reconsider the decision, stating he failed to account for important and relevant issues. However, the appellate judges noted they expressed no opinion on the outcome of the ruling. In 2020, Hellerstein ordered the release of Michael Cohen, a former close adviser to Trump, ruling that the Justice Department’s revocation of his house arrest was a retaliatory violation of the First Amendment.

Hellerstein was known for his independent judicial style and strict courtroom discipline. He required attendees to wear masks for more than two years after other judges had ended the requirement. In 2015, he ordered a New York cable company to pay a Texas woman $229,500 for flooding her phone with 153 automatic calls.