At 92: The Jewish judge who presided over Maduro's cocaine smuggling trial has passed away

Federal judge Alvin Hellerstein, who presided over the cocaine smuggling trial of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, has passed away at age 92 in New York. His death was confirmed by the administration of the federal court in Manhattan, and the court will now need to appoint a new judge for the trial.

Federal judge Alvin Hellerstein, an observant Jew aged 92, passed away in New York after nearly three decades on the bench in Manhattan. Hellerstein presided over one of the most high-profile trials in the US—the cocaine smuggling trial of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Just 13 days ago, on October 15, Hellerstein conducted a hearing where Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared before him, pleading not guilty to new charges of conspiracy to commit torture against regime opponents. His death was confirmed by the administration of the federal court for the Southern District of New York, while the cause of death was not disclosed. The court will now need to appoint a new judge for the Maduro trial, whose preliminary hearings have already begun, but the evidence phase is set for next year. Hellerstein was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1998, and in recent years questions arose about his alertness at his advanced age, including reports that he was sometimes seen dozing during testimonies. Conversely, lawyers who appeared before him described him as an alert and engaged jurist.