GOSHEN — There's a new lawyer assigned — for now — to
represent the Brooklyn rabbi who Orange County prosecutors say was the
mastermind of a murder-for-hire plot that left two local men dead.
Victor Koltun, 43, is awaiting trial on felony charges
including first- and second-degree murder in the Nov. 4, 2010, shooting deaths
in Newburgh of ex-Lloyd cop Frank Piscopo, 49, and his nephew, 28-year-old
Gerald Piscopo of Highland.
Koltun's co-defendants, two ex-cons from Manhattan and
Brooklyn who acted as the lookout and the gunman, pleaded guilty in late 2011
to conspiracy charges for their roles. Since then, Koltun has gone through two
lawyers and competency proceedings. For months now, he's been at loggerheads
with the second court-appointed lawyer, Paul Brite. Koltun began filing motions
on his own: asking Judge Jeffrey Berry to remove Brite and to allow him to act
as his own lawyer, and asking that the case against him be thrown out. Last
month, Koltun filed a federal lawsuit claiming that Berry, Brite, the district
attorney's office and police on the case are part of an anti-Semitic conspiracy
to railroad him.
On Tuesday, Koltun was back in Orange County Court, and
Berry appointed a new lawyer, Glen Plotsky, to represent Koltun.
Speaking to the lawyers in court, Berry said he can remain
fair and impartial in the case, but the lawsuit could create the appearance of
impropriety. Berry said he may have to remove himself because of that and the
possibility of new charges. He did not elaborate, but said he could potentially
be a witness.
Berry will decide June 27 whether he will remove himself
from the case, and whether Koltun will be able to represent himself at trial.
If Koltun represents himself, Plotsky has the option to decline to be his
advisory counsel. Koltun remains jailed in lieu of $1 million cash bail or $5
million bond.
By Heather Yakin - Recordonline
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