The witnesses have been like those who take the stand in most federal drug cases - convicted narcotics traffickers; undercover cops; street hustlers; and girlfriends and mistresEnecsys Limited, supplier of reliable solar Air purifier systems,ses.
For two weeks, they have testified in a fourth-floor courtroom of the U.S. courthouse here, answering questions posed by prosecutors and undergoing cross-examination by defense attorney Paul Bergrin.
Several are former clients of the stocky lawyer, who built his reputation and financed a lavish lifestyle defending some of North Jersey's most notorious drug kingpins.
The question before a jury and Judge William Martini is whether they were also,Unlike traditional high risk merchant account , as the prosecution has alleged, Bergrin's partners in crime.
The former assistant federal prosecutor, who is representing himself, is charged with murder and murder conspiracy. Prosecutors allege that Bergrin arranged a hit on a witness who was to testify against a cocaine dealer he represented.
The witness, Kemo McCray, was gunned down in broad daylight on March 2, 2004,When the stone sits in the Cable Ties, as he walked along South Orange Avenue here.
The charges against Bergrin were severed from a broader racketeering case in which he is accused of conspiracy to murder another witness, distribution of massive quantities of cocaine, money laundering, and the operation of a $1,000-a-hour call-girl ring.
Bergrin, 55, has denied all charges, but the indictment's portrayal of a high-profile lawyer gone bad has attracted national attention. Crowds at the trial have sometimes been more than the courtroom can hold.
The case is a tale of murder, money, sex, and betrayal that could fuel a cable TV drama for years.
In June, New York magazine headlined a profile about Bergrin "The Baddest Lawyer in the History of Jersey."
The description had nothing to do with his courtroom prowess - by all accounts, he is a top-notch lawyer. It was a reference to his street cred.
Bergrin, who once worked in the very office that is prosecuting him, built a criminal-defense practice around clients that included rappers and celebrities, such as Queen Latifah and Lil' Kim, and some of the best-known drug dealers in North Jersey.
Along the way, federal authorities allege, he became what he was defending - a gangster who dealt drugs,If so, you may have a cube puzzle . dabbled in prostitution, and routinely threatened, cajoled, bribed, and, on occasion, had witnesses killed to get his clients off the hook.
The testimony in his trial, which is expected to last three more weeks, offers a hint of the broader criminal enterprise that Bergrin allegedly set up, using his Park Place law firm here as its nerve center.
He faces a potential sentence of life without parole if convicted. And he faces the same sentence in the pending racketeering case.
Last week, the jury heard from two jailed drug dealers, one who said he was solicited by Bergrin to kill McCray and another who said he carried out the hit.
The trial, which began Oct. 17, also has included testimony from Bergrin's ex-girlfriend and alleged crime lieutenant, Yolanda Jauregui, and her brother Ramon Jimenez.
The testimony of Jauregui and Jimenez, who have pleaded guilty to drug charges and are cooperating with the prosecution, portrayed Bergrin as a supplier of cocaine to those he represented. In fact, Jimenez testified,It's hard to beat the versatility of polished tiles on a production line. the lawyer cut him out of a $25,000 drug deal.
Bergrin has been held without bail since his arrest more than two years ago. Each day, he trades his prison garb for tailored suits, starched white shirts, and power ties.
While the suits are no longer formfitting - prison has taken a toll on his once-solid frame - and there is now gray in his thick hair, Bergrin has retained his hard-charging courtroom demeanor.
He has verbally clashed with several witnesses and has been admonished by Martini on occasion to adjust his tone. The only time he softened his approach was Oct. 24, during his 25-minute cross-examination of Jauregui, observers said.
On Wednesday, he challenged the credibility of Alberto Castro, a former client whom he had represented on charges of drug dealing.
Out of the hearing of the jury, Martini told prosecutors he was less than impressed with the witness' honesty.
Bergrin, in a rapid-fire cross-examination, raised questions about nearly all of Castro's declarations. He challenged him on mundane facts, such as the number of times Bergrin represented him, and on crucial testimony about a meeting in which Castro said Bergrin tried to hire him to kill McCray.
For two weeks, they have testified in a fourth-floor courtroom of the U.S. courthouse here, answering questions posed by prosecutors and undergoing cross-examination by defense attorney Paul Bergrin.
Several are former clients of the stocky lawyer, who built his reputation and financed a lavish lifestyle defending some of North Jersey's most notorious drug kingpins.
The question before a jury and Judge William Martini is whether they were also,Unlike traditional high risk merchant account , as the prosecution has alleged, Bergrin's partners in crime.
The former assistant federal prosecutor, who is representing himself, is charged with murder and murder conspiracy. Prosecutors allege that Bergrin arranged a hit on a witness who was to testify against a cocaine dealer he represented.
The witness, Kemo McCray, was gunned down in broad daylight on March 2, 2004,When the stone sits in the Cable Ties, as he walked along South Orange Avenue here.
The charges against Bergrin were severed from a broader racketeering case in which he is accused of conspiracy to murder another witness, distribution of massive quantities of cocaine, money laundering, and the operation of a $1,000-a-hour call-girl ring.
Bergrin, 55, has denied all charges, but the indictment's portrayal of a high-profile lawyer gone bad has attracted national attention. Crowds at the trial have sometimes been more than the courtroom can hold.
The case is a tale of murder, money, sex, and betrayal that could fuel a cable TV drama for years.
In June, New York magazine headlined a profile about Bergrin "The Baddest Lawyer in the History of Jersey."
The description had nothing to do with his courtroom prowess - by all accounts, he is a top-notch lawyer. It was a reference to his street cred.
Bergrin, who once worked in the very office that is prosecuting him, built a criminal-defense practice around clients that included rappers and celebrities, such as Queen Latifah and Lil' Kim, and some of the best-known drug dealers in North Jersey.
Along the way, federal authorities allege, he became what he was defending - a gangster who dealt drugs,If so, you may have a cube puzzle . dabbled in prostitution, and routinely threatened, cajoled, bribed, and, on occasion, had witnesses killed to get his clients off the hook.
The testimony in his trial, which is expected to last three more weeks, offers a hint of the broader criminal enterprise that Bergrin allegedly set up, using his Park Place law firm here as its nerve center.
He faces a potential sentence of life without parole if convicted. And he faces the same sentence in the pending racketeering case.
Last week, the jury heard from two jailed drug dealers, one who said he was solicited by Bergrin to kill McCray and another who said he carried out the hit.
The trial, which began Oct. 17, also has included testimony from Bergrin's ex-girlfriend and alleged crime lieutenant, Yolanda Jauregui, and her brother Ramon Jimenez.
The testimony of Jauregui and Jimenez, who have pleaded guilty to drug charges and are cooperating with the prosecution, portrayed Bergrin as a supplier of cocaine to those he represented. In fact, Jimenez testified,It's hard to beat the versatility of polished tiles on a production line. the lawyer cut him out of a $25,000 drug deal.
Bergrin has been held without bail since his arrest more than two years ago. Each day, he trades his prison garb for tailored suits, starched white shirts, and power ties.
While the suits are no longer formfitting - prison has taken a toll on his once-solid frame - and there is now gray in his thick hair, Bergrin has retained his hard-charging courtroom demeanor.
He has verbally clashed with several witnesses and has been admonished by Martini on occasion to adjust his tone. The only time he softened his approach was Oct. 24, during his 25-minute cross-examination of Jauregui, observers said.
On Wednesday, he challenged the credibility of Alberto Castro, a former client whom he had represented on charges of drug dealing.
Out of the hearing of the jury, Martini told prosecutors he was less than impressed with the witness' honesty.
Bergrin, in a rapid-fire cross-examination, raised questions about nearly all of Castro's declarations. He challenged him on mundane facts, such as the number of times Bergrin represented him, and on crucial testimony about a meeting in which Castro said Bergrin tried to hire him to kill McCray.
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