The high-stakes U.S. criminal prosecution of former Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, faces reassignment following the death of Senior Federal Judge, Alvin Hellerstein, at age 92.
Confirmation of his passing came from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday. Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1998, Judge Hellerstein anchored landmark trials in Manhattan for nearly three decades.
His judicial tenure included managing the massive civil litigation following the September 11 terrorist attacks, overturning controversial deportation directives, and ordering the disclosure of classified records regarding detainee treatment abroad.
Hellerstein had long presided over the federal drug-trafficking docket targeting high-level Venezuelan officials. Following his death, district officials confirmed that the proceedings for the upcoming trial will be reassigned to a new federal judge by random selection.
