| In Trial of
Norman Gray Drea Pizziconi
Showed Texts Now Gray Ordered
Into Custody SDNY
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY
COURTHOUSE,
June 3 – Norman Gray is on
trial for allegedly defrauding
Andrea Pizziconi out of
$500,000. On May 22, she
testified before U.S. District
Court for the Southern
District of New York Judge
Paul A. Engelmayer. Inner City
Press was there.
The
Assistant US Attorney had
Pizziconi read her text
messages to Gray on the
fateful days, in the fall of
2020.
She was asking
for her money back, for a
condo she had moved her
belongings into. The seller
asked the super to throw her
out, triggering memories from
her childhood, all in the long
text messages.
Gray, who
was awarded a position at a
Connecticut institution of
higher learning known for
polling, put her off, asking
for more time, including to
visit with her grandchildren.
She obliged him. But the
indictment followed.
Later, Gray's lawyer Martin
Bell, previously an SDNY
prosecutor, conducted an
open-ended cross examination.
On May 28, Bell
wrote to Judge Engelmayer
asking to get admitted into
evidence a redacted email to
Gray, with redactions
including "it just doesn't
smell right."
Gray was found
guilty and was ordered to
surrender pre-sentecing on
June 3, unlike Judge Furman's
action in US v. Chavez - but
NOT to MDC Brooklyn, so
consonant with that decision:
"ORDER as to Norman Gray: IT
IS HEREBY ORDERED that the
defendant is directed to
surrender to the custody of
the United States Marshals at
500 Pearl Street by 2 p.m. on
Monday, June 3, 2024. The
Court instructs the Bureau of
Prisons ("BOP") to house the
defendant, pending his
sentencing on September 12,
2024, at a facility other than
the Metropolitan Detention
Center, and directs the United
States Attorney's Office to
work with the BOP to arrange
for such housing. (Signed by
Judge Paul A. Engelmayer on
5/29/2024)."
On May 31, Gray's
lawyer submitted a new
proposed bail package,
increased by $310,000 and
secured by 695 Sherman Avenue,
Hamden CT and 241 Magee Drive,
also in Hamden, and limited
smartphone use.
But on June 3,
this: "ORDER as to Norman
Gray. Consistent with its
ruling from the bench this
morning, the Court hereby
orders that, at 11 am today,
defendant Norman Gray be taken
into custody in Courtroom 1305
of the Thurgood Marshall
Courthouse and brought to the
United States Marshals at 500
Pearl Street. Prior to 11am,
Mr. Gray is to remain in the
courtroom under the
supervision of the
Government's case agents. SO
ORDERED (Signed by Judge Paul
A. Engelmayer on 6/3/24)."
More on Substack
here.
The case
is US v. Gray, 21-cr-713
(Engelmayer)
***
Your
support means a lot. As little as $5 a month
helps keep us going and grants you access to
exclusive bonus material on our Patreon
page. Click
here to become a patron.
Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
SDNY Press Room
500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA
Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station,
NY NY 10013
Reporter's mobile (and weekends):
718-716-3540
Other, earlier Inner City Press are
listed here,
and some are available in the ProQuest
service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.
Copyright 2006-2024 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com
|
,
