Joel Steinberg
Encyclopedia
Joel Steinberg a former New York
criminal defense attorney
, attracted international media
attention when he was accused of murder
and convicted of manslaughter
in the November 1, 1987, death of a six-year-old girl, Elizabeth ("Lisa"), whom he and his live-in partner
Hedda Nussbaum
had illegally adopted. Steinberg had reportedly been hired by a single mother to locate a suitable adoptive family for Lisa, but instead took the child home and raised her with Nussbaum, never filing formal adoption papers.
. Following his graduation Steinberg was commissioned in the US Air Force. Following his military career he attended law school and was admitted to the New York bar in 1970, taking advantage of a provision that exempted veterans from taking the bar exam.
on November 4, 1987 three days later after being transported from the apartment in New York
's Greenwich Village
that Steinberg shared with Lisa, Mitchell (a younger child also adopted by Steinberg, 18 months old at the time of Lisa's death), and Steinberg's partner Hedda Nussbaum
. Both the boy and Nussbaum showed signs of physical abuse
, and Nussbaum's battered, unkempt appearance did much to fuel the media frenzy that accompanied the story of Lisa's death.
In exchange for her testimony
against Steinberg, Nussbaum was not prosecuted for events related to Lisa's death (Nussbaum was alone in the apartment with an unconscious and bleeding Lisa for over ten hours without seeking any medical attention for the girl). At Steinberg's trial, his defense suggested that Nussbaum's extensive injuries, which included severe damage to the face and permanent spinal damage, resulted from a consensual sadomasochistic relationship between the two. Her attorneys claimed her remaining with him when he beat her was a sign of battered woman syndrome.
Unable to convict Steinberg on the more serious charge of second-degree murder
(in New York State at that time, first degree murder applied only to those who killed police officers or had committed murder while already serving a sentence for a previous murder), the jury convicted him of the second most serious charge, first-degree manslaughter
. The judge then sentenced him to the maximum penalty then available for that charge — 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
On two occasions, Steinberg was denied discretionary parole
, mainly because he never expressed remorse
for the killing. However, on June 30, 2004, he was paroled under the state's "good time" law, which mandates release of inmates who exhibit good behavior while incarcerated after having served as little as two-thirds of the maximum possible sentence. (New York State has since increased this ratio to six-sevenths of the maximum term for persons convicted of violent felonies.) Steinberg had spent most of his imprisonment at New York State's "Supermax" prison, the Southport Correctional Facility
, presumably to prevent him from being attacked by other inmates.
After his release, Steinberg moved to Harlem
, where he took up work in the construction industry. He continues to maintain his innocence.
Meanwhile, the other child in the case ended up being reunited with his biological mother, Nicole Bridget Smigiel.
(New York's intermediate appellate court) upheld a $15 million award against Steinberg to Michele Launders, Lisa's birth mother. In its opinion, the court rejected the position that Steinberg, acting as his own attorney, put forth:
episode, "Indifference
", which ended with a disclaimer that was read aloud pointing out the actual conclusion of the real case. Fourteen years later, in an episode entitled "Fixed," the program brought back the character inspired by Steinberg (Jacob Lowenstein) who was killed after being released on parole. The episode was inspired by Steinberg's actual release.
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...
criminal defense attorney
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...
, attracted international media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
attention when he was accused of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
and convicted of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
in the November 1, 1987, death of a six-year-old girl, Elizabeth ("Lisa"), whom he and his live-in partner
Cohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
Hedda Nussbaum
Hedda Nussbaum
Hedda Nussbaum is an American woman who was the caretaker for a six-year old girl who died of physical abuse in 1987. The death of the girl, known as Lisa Steinberg, sparked a lengthy and controversial trial and media frenzy...
had illegally adopted. Steinberg had reportedly been hired by a single mother to locate a suitable adoptive family for Lisa, but instead took the child home and raised her with Nussbaum, never filing formal adoption papers.
Early life
Joel Steinberg was born in the Bronx section of New York City in 1941. In 1962 he graduated from Fordham UniversityFordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
. Following his graduation Steinberg was commissioned in the US Air Force. Following his military career he attended law school and was admitted to the New York bar in 1970, taking advantage of a provision that exempted veterans from taking the bar exam.
Crime and punishment
Steinberg was specifically accused of hitting Lisa on the head and then not seeking medical attention for the child, supposedly because he was under the influence of crack cocaine. She died at St. Vincent Hospital after being removed from life supportLife support
Life support, in medicine is a broad term that applies to any therapy used to sustain a patient's life while they are critically ill or injured. There are many therapies and techniques that may be used by clinicians to achieve the goal of sustaining life...
on November 4, 1987 three days later after being transported from the apartment in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
that Steinberg shared with Lisa, Mitchell (a younger child also adopted by Steinberg, 18 months old at the time of Lisa's death), and Steinberg's partner Hedda Nussbaum
Hedda Nussbaum
Hedda Nussbaum is an American woman who was the caretaker for a six-year old girl who died of physical abuse in 1987. The death of the girl, known as Lisa Steinberg, sparked a lengthy and controversial trial and media frenzy...
. Both the boy and Nussbaum showed signs of physical abuse
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
, and Nussbaum's battered, unkempt appearance did much to fuel the media frenzy that accompanied the story of Lisa's death.
In exchange for her testimony
Testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
against Steinberg, Nussbaum was not prosecuted for events related to Lisa's death (Nussbaum was alone in the apartment with an unconscious and bleeding Lisa for over ten hours without seeking any medical attention for the girl). At Steinberg's trial, his defense suggested that Nussbaum's extensive injuries, which included severe damage to the face and permanent spinal damage, resulted from a consensual sadomasochistic relationship between the two. Her attorneys claimed her remaining with him when he beat her was a sign of battered woman syndrome.
Unable to convict Steinberg on the more serious charge of second-degree murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
(in New York State at that time, first degree murder applied only to those who killed police officers or had committed murder while already serving a sentence for a previous murder), the jury convicted him of the second most serious charge, first-degree manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
. The judge then sentenced him to the maximum penalty then available for that charge — 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
, mainly because he never expressed remorse
Remorse
Remorse is an emotional expression of personal regret felt by a person after he or she has committed an act which they deem to be shameful, hurtful, or violent. Remorse is closely allied to guilt and self-directed resentment...
for the killing. However, on June 30, 2004, he was paroled under the state's "good time" law, which mandates release of inmates who exhibit good behavior while incarcerated after having served as little as two-thirds of the maximum possible sentence. (New York State has since increased this ratio to six-sevenths of the maximum term for persons convicted of violent felonies.) Steinberg had spent most of his imprisonment at New York State's "Supermax" prison, the Southport Correctional Facility
Southport Correctional Facility
The Southport Correctional Facility is an ultra-maximum-security, or "supermax," prison in New York State, USA. It is located in the town of Southport, New York, in upstate Chemung County....
, presumably to prevent him from being attacked by other inmates.
After his release, Steinberg moved to Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, where he took up work in the construction industry. He continues to maintain his innocence.
Meanwhile, the other child in the case ended up being reunited with his biological mother, Nicole Bridget Smigiel.
Lawsuit
On January 16, 2007, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate DivisionNew York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division is the intermediate appellate court in New York State. The Appellate Division is composed of four departments .*The First Department covers the Bronx The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division is the intermediate...
(New York's intermediate appellate court) upheld a $15 million award against Steinberg to Michele Launders, Lisa's birth mother. In its opinion, the court rejected the position that Steinberg, acting as his own attorney, put forth:
- [F]or Steinberg to dismiss the 8 to 10 hours preceding Lisa's death as "at most eight hours of pain and suffering" or as he alternatively states, a "quick loss of consciousness" (emphasis supplied), demonstrates that he is as devoid of any empathy or human emotion now as he was almost 20 years ago when he stood trial for Lisa's homicide. As any parent and, no doubt, most adults who have taken trips with young children can attest, the oft-heard question, "are we there yet?" is a clear illustration that, the more anticipated an event or destination so, seemingly slower the passage of time in a child's mind. For Lisa, lying on a bathroom floor, her body aching from bruises of "varying ages," her brain swelling from her father's "staggering blow," those 8 to 10 hours so cavalierly dismissed by Steinberg must have seemed like eternity as she waited and wondered when someone would come to comfort her and help make the pain go away.
In popular culture
The case was adapted with modifications as a 1990 Law & OrderLaw & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
episode, "Indifference
Indifference (Law & Order episode)
"Indifference" is the 9th episode of NBC's legal drama Law & Order. It originally aired on 27 November 1990. The plot of this episode would be revisited in the 15th season episode "Fixed"....
", which ended with a disclaimer that was read aloud pointing out the actual conclusion of the real case. Fourteen years later, in an episode entitled "Fixed," the program brought back the character inspired by Steinberg (Jacob Lowenstein) who was killed after being released on parole. The episode was inspired by Steinberg's actual release.
External links
- http://www.docs.state.ny.us/PressRel/steinbergrelease.pdf
- http://www.fiu.edu/~cat/steinberg1.htm
- http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/family/lisa_steinberg/1.html
- Lisa Steinberg Memorial at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- http://www.nyu.edu/classes/stephens/Steinberg%20page.htm