Gerald Shargel
Encyclopedia
Gerald Shargel is a high-profile defense attorney
based in New York City
who has been a member of the New York Bar since 1969. He has garnered attention as both a trial and appellate
lawyer, representing white-collar
clients and ordinary criminal defendants, but is most famous for, along with Bruce Cutler
, securing the acquittal
of Mafia
boss John J. Gotti in 1990 on New York State charges that Gotti had ordered the shooting of labor union official John F. O'Connor.
In a subsequent 1991 federal case against Gotti, Judge I. Leo Glasser
barred Shargel and Cutler from representing Gotti, agreeing with prosecutors' assertion that the lawyers were "house counsel" to the Gambino Crime Family
and thus so knowledgeable about family business to be subject to be called as witnesses in the case (presenting a conflict of interest
).
Some of Shargel's more recent high-profile clients include Daniel Pelosi
, who was charged and later convicted of the second-degree murder of East Hampton
millionaire Ted Ammon
, as well as that of Robert "Joe" Halderman
in the matter of Halderman's extortion of TV personality David Letterman
.
Shargel represented Halderman from October 2009 to March 9, 2010, when Halderman entered a plea-bargained guilty plea.
Shargel is well-known for his courtroom style and dramatic presentations. For example, during the 2005 federal money laundering trial of Murder Inc
. record label owners Irv and Chris Gotti (no relation to the Mafia boss mentioned above), Shargel attempted to prove that a witness was lying after the witness testified he saw approximately $70,000 of drug money delivered to the Murder Inc. offices in a shoe-box. In response, Shargel threw a pile of 7,000 pieces of paper in the size and shape of dollar bills onto the witness stand and defied the man to fit them in a shoe-box (also provide by Shargel). The witness couldn't - and it seemed like a slam-dunk for Shargel - until NYPD detective Anthony Castiglia upstaged the stunt during the following day's testimony by proving 7,400 real dollar bills could in fact fit in a shoe-box. Although the Gotti brothers were ultimately acquitted, the event proved embarrassing to Shargel - not only on its face, but because of some innuendo-laden testimony by the officer.
In addition to his law practice, Shargel holds the position of Practitioner-In-Residence at Brooklyn Law School
, teaching courses on evidence, criminal procedure and trial advocacy. He also serves as a frequent writer and commentator on legal issues that arise during high profile criminal cases, which generate sustained national and regional media focus.
Gerald Shargel graduated from Rutgers University
in 1966 and Brooklyn Law School
in 1969.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
who has been a member of the New York Bar since 1969. He has garnered attention as both a trial and appellate
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
lawyer, representing white-collar
White-collar worker
The term white-collar worker refers to a person who performs professional, managerial, or administrative work, in contrast with a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor...
clients and ordinary criminal defendants, but is most famous for, along with Bruce Cutler
Bruce Cutler
Bruce Cutler is an American criminal defense lawyer known for defending organized-crime defendants, and for media appearances as an actor, a legal commentator, and a reality-show attorney....
, securing the acquittal
Acquittal
In the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
of Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
boss John J. Gotti in 1990 on New York State charges that Gotti had ordered the shooting of labor union official John F. O'Connor.
In a subsequent 1991 federal case against Gotti, Judge I. Leo Glasser
I. Leo Glasser
Israel Leo Glasser, also known as I. Leo Glasser or Leo Glasser, is a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York.-Biography:...
barred Shargel and Cutler from representing Gotti, agreeing with prosecutors' assertion that the lawyers were "house counsel" to the Gambino Crime Family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
and thus so knowledgeable about family business to be subject to be called as witnesses in the case (presenting a conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
).
Some of Shargel's more recent high-profile clients include Daniel Pelosi
Daniel Pelosi
Daniel Pelosi is the convicted murderer of Wall Street financier Ted Ammon, and the widower of Generosa Ammon.- Relationship :...
, who was charged and later convicted of the second-degree murder of East Hampton
East Hampton (town), New York
The Town of East Hampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, at the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. It is the easternmost town in the state of New York...
millionaire Ted Ammon
Ted Ammon
Robert Theodore Ammon was an American financier and investment banker. He was murdered by Daniel Pelosi, the boyfriend of his estranged wife Generosa....
, as well as that of Robert "Joe" Halderman
Joe Halderman
Robert Joel "Joe" Halderman is an American television news writer, director, producer, and convicted felon.-Career:Halderman's journalistic career began in the early 1980s, when he was a producer on the CBS Morning Show with Diane Sawyer and Bill Kurtis...
in the matter of Halderman's extortion of TV personality David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
.
Shargel represented Halderman from October 2009 to March 9, 2010, when Halderman entered a plea-bargained guilty plea.
Shargel is well-known for his courtroom style and dramatic presentations. For example, during the 2005 federal money laundering trial of Murder Inc
The Inc. Records
The Inc. Records , is an American record label, owned by Irv Gotti.In 1999, Murder Inc. released its first album, Venni Vetti Vecci by Ja Rule. The album featured the hit single "Holla Holla". The album was executively produced by Irv Gotti and moved on to go platinum, which rose Ja Rule and...
. record label owners Irv and Chris Gotti (no relation to the Mafia boss mentioned above), Shargel attempted to prove that a witness was lying after the witness testified he saw approximately $70,000 of drug money delivered to the Murder Inc. offices in a shoe-box. In response, Shargel threw a pile of 7,000 pieces of paper in the size and shape of dollar bills onto the witness stand and defied the man to fit them in a shoe-box (also provide by Shargel). The witness couldn't - and it seemed like a slam-dunk for Shargel - until NYPD detective Anthony Castiglia upstaged the stunt during the following day's testimony by proving 7,400 real dollar bills could in fact fit in a shoe-box. Although the Gotti brothers were ultimately acquitted, the event proved embarrassing to Shargel - not only on its face, but because of some innuendo-laden testimony by the officer.
In addition to his law practice, Shargel holds the position of Practitioner-In-Residence at Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School is a law school located in Brooklyn Heights, in Downtown Brooklyn, New York.-History:Founded in 1901 by William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley, Brooklyn Law School was the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley’s business school, the law...
, teaching courses on evidence, criminal procedure and trial advocacy. He also serves as a frequent writer and commentator on legal issues that arise during high profile criminal cases, which generate sustained national and regional media focus.
Gerald Shargel graduated from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1966 and Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School is a law school located in Brooklyn Heights, in Downtown Brooklyn, New York.-History:Founded in 1901 by William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley, Brooklyn Law School was the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley’s business school, the law...
in 1969.
Notable clients
- Jeffrey ChodorowJeffrey ChodorowJeffrey Chodorow is an American restaurateur and financier.-Early career:Jeffrey Chodorow's father died when he was young and he was raised by his mother, a manicurist. He attended Wharton and has a law degree from University of Pennsylvania.In the 1970s, Chodorow developed shopping centers in...
- James CoonanJames CoonanJames "Jimmy C" Coonan is an Irish-American mobster and racketeer from Manhattan, New York who is currently serving a 75-year prison term.-Biography:...
- Gurmeet Singh DhinsaGurmeet Singh DhinsaGurmeet Singh Dhinsa is an American former gas station magnate, who was convicted of racketeering and multiple murders. In an attempt to corner the local market on gas stations, Dhinsa defrauded customers, evaded taxes, committed at least two murders, and is believed to have ordered eight others...
- Chris Gotti
- John GottiJohn GottiJohn Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
- John A. Gotti
- Joe HaldermanJoe HaldermanRobert Joel "Joe" Halderman is an American television news writer, director, producer, and convicted felon.-Career:Halderman's journalistic career began in the early 1980s, when he was a producer on the CBS Morning Show with Diane Sawyer and Bill Kurtis...
- Daniel PelosiDaniel PelosiDaniel Pelosi is the convicted murderer of Wall Street financier Ted Ammon, and the widower of Generosa Ammon.- Relationship :...
- Marc Dreier
- Sammy "the Bull" GravanoSammy GravanoSalvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is a former underboss of the Gambino crime family. He is known as the man who helped bring down John Gotti, the family's boss, by agreeing to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation informant and turn state's evidence.Originally a mobster for the Colombo crime...
External links
- The Law Offices Of Gerald L. Shargel
- Pelosi Trial Profile of Gerald Shargel, from New York Newsday.
- No Mercy Ronald Reagan's tough legal legacy. Critical assessment of President Reagan's legacy by Gerald Shargel.
- Gerald Shargel Quotes
- CNN Live Sunday Interview With Jerry Shargel.