Word: goetz
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...with the breeze of public opinion. Morgenthau rationalized his decision not to allow any of the youths to testify by saying that he did not want to give them automatic immunity from any pending criminal charges. He suspected that such a guarantee might prejudice the jurors in favor of Goetz...
After the decision, Goetz seemed slightly intoxicated by his notoriety. He recommended that more civilians be trained to carry guns. He showed up at the funeral of a slain cabby. Every other day he seemed to give another "exclusive" interview. His soapbox preaching rebounded against him, redoubling the calls for a new investigation. Says his lawyer Barry Slotnick: "It took him out of the light of the humble, decent Bernie Goetz and made him a public figure who was pontificating on things." Information from his videotaped confession began to leak out. The man the public had proclaimed a hero...
...decision, Morgenthau announced that on the basis of "significant new evidence" a second grand jury would be convened. The new evidence, which Morgenthau would not divulge, consisted at least in part of testimony by Ramseur and Canty, both of whom received immunity, and Flores, who has suggested that Goetz might have been looking for trouble. Goetz practically begged to testify, but he balked when Morgenthau insisted that he sign a complete waiver of immunity...
Slotnick tartly described the outcome as the result of "a very zealous presentation." Morgenthau did not deny that his office had been more aggressive the second time around. "There wasn't new evidence," he said, "until we looked for it and found it." Goetz's lawyers insist that there was no actual new evidence...
...Goetz was arraigned on the new charges last week. When the assistant district attorney asked that bail be raised, Slotnick told the judge, "You're looking at the best-known face in the country. He couldn't flee." The judge agreed. The date set for the first pretrial hearing is May 16. Goetz was curiously serene about it all. Said he: "It's probably the best thing. Hopefully, this will end the controversy. The story would come out one way or the other anyway...