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Defense Lawyer Charged With Witness Tampering

By DNAinfo Staff on February 15, 2011 3:35pm

Mitchell Golub at his state Supreme Court arraignment on Tuesday.
Mitchell Golub at his state Supreme Court arraignment on Tuesday.
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DNAinfo/John Marshall Mantel

By Shayna Jacobs

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — A Manhattan attorney has been charged with trying to persuade a key witness not to testify during the grand jury proceeding of a 2008 murder case, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday.

Criminal defense lawyer Mitchell Golub, 57, was charged with trying to discourage the female witness from taking the stand at the trial of alleged killer Jesus Alejandro, who is suspected of stabbing a woman 26 times in her East Harlem apartment in 2008.

The alleged communication between Golub and the witness occurred on Jan. 19, 2010. He was replaced as the defense attorney for Alejandro in the fall.

Alejandro, 21, allegedly stabbed Christina Hernandez to death in an East 119th Street apartment on April 27, 2008. He then called someone to say, "I just cut Christy," in an apparent confession to the brutality, the criminal complaint says. 

Golub, through his attorney, flatly denied any wrongdoing in his dealing with the witness.

"We have always maintained that there is absolutely no merit to the charges," said Golub's attorney, Michael Marinaccio.

Golub, who has been practicing law for more than 30 years, has known about the allegations since October, his lawyer said.

He was once a Queens County assistant district attorney but has been in private practice for decades, Marinaccio said of his client.

Golub declined to comment and deferred to his attorney. He faces up to one year in jail if convicted.