Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.latimes.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Judge Accused of Threatening Ex-Girlfriend Date: Mon, 9 Nov 92 07:02:32 EST Message-ID: HEADLINE: Judge Accused of Threatening Ex-Girlfriend Publication Date: Sunday November 8, 1992 BYLINE: The chief judge of the state's highest court was arrested Saturday for allegedly threatening a former girlfriend and her daughter in an extortion scheme, authorities said. Judge Sol Wachtler was arrested by FBI agents and placed under guard in a hospital psychiatric ward pending a hearing Tuesday, U.S. Atty. Michael Chertoff told reporters. Wachtler, 62, was accused in a criminal complaint of making threatening calls to a New York woman and sending sexually explicit letters to her and her 14-year-old daughter. Wachtler, head of the New York State Court of Appeals, acted out of anger after his relationship with the woman ended about a year ago, authorities said. Wachtler is married and the father of four. According to the complaint, Wachtler demanded $20,000 in exchange for "embarrassing" tapes and photographs, purportedly of the woman and her new boyfriend. The woman's daughter also was threatened with kidnaping, the complaint said. Wachtler, a liberal Republican, has frequently been touted as a potential candidate for governor. He was appointed chief judge in 1985 by Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, a Democrat. This article is copyright 1992 The Los Angeles Times Home Edition. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM