Results tagged “peterbraunstein”

News flash from the NY Post: Nicholas Minucci, aka "Fat Nick" who is serving 15 years for a hate crime, and Peter Braunstein, the fashion writer who kidnapped and tortured a former colleague, are apparently "best friends" at the Clinton Correctional Facility. Not only do they both really love "Gossip Girl," Brauntsein said, "[Nick]'s a good kid. He's one of the few people I enjoy talking to here," while Minucci returns the compliments, "Pete's just a witty guy." more ›

Convicted kidnapper and attacker Peter Braunstein is still in love with Gossip Girl, especially the Blair Waldorf character. In an interview tonight, the former journalist tells Inside Edition, "Monday nights, it’s like sacred, man. Everybody in the cell block knows that. Nobody talks to me when Gossip Girl is on," and says of Blair, "Even though she’s scheming and has a thing about power, she’s loyal. She’s everything that I wanted in a girl." He also brings up Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker, "Everyone sees a lot of me in the ‘Joker’ character here. It’s kind of a running joke, like, ‘that guy’s a lot like you.’" more ›

Well, who wouldn't visit a convicted kidnapper and sex attacker to visit him in prison?! The Daily News' Jane Ridley says of her visit to see Peter Braunstein, "I went, though I really don't care what he has to say. I went because he's this Hannibal Lechter-style creep you just have to see - and stare at in the way we look at car accidents we pass on the highway." Good reason—pass the fava beans and Chianti! more ›

Peter Braunstein loves keeping in touch. The former journalist was convicted of attacking and assaulting a former colleague—while kidnapping her in her own apartment for 13 hours by pretending to be a firefighter (he set a fire in her building's stairwell) —in 2005 and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison in 2007. There was also a manhunt and capture after suicide attempt in Memphis. Now, he writes letters to the Post and Daily News, detailing his love for CW shows and his ultimately achieved goal of fame (or infamy). more ›

The journalist-turned-sex attacker Peter Braunstein was sentenced to 23 years in Ohio prison, due to his assault of a Cincinnati doctor while on the lam in 2005. But Braunstein, who previously said he was happy to be behind bars as he serves his 20-year sentence in NY prison, doesn't plan on serving the Ohio sentence, because "I'm trying to orchestrate my own murder....It's not as far-fetched as you think. It will happen soon. Maybe as soon as Christmas. That's a pretty depressing time of year." He added, "When I had freedom, it was with a sense of mental anguish...When I had freedom I had to make decisions. Do I become a criminal? Do I continue to let my rage build until I become a homicidal maniac? Do I commit suicide? In jail, I have peace." more ›

If anyone has been curious about convicted journalist-turned-sex attacker Peter Braunstein, wonder no more. The Daily News interviewed the "fake fireman sicko" in an Ohio prison and learned he's actually pretty content. more ›

Peter Braunstein really loves the New York Post. The fashion industry reporter-turned-prison inmate, after being recently convicted of the kidnapping, sex assault, armed robbery and burglary of a former co-worker on Halloween in 2005, gives his first interview since being locked up this past summer to the tabloid. more ›

Peter: "I think I like fondled her breasts twice." A jury found Braunstein guilty of 14 of 15 charges of assault, sexual abuse, kidnapping, burglary and robbery (they acquitted him of arson) and a judge sentenced Braunstein to 18 years to life. more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: An escaped prisoner from Elmhurst Hospital, an unusual crime on 42nd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues in Manhattan, and a water rescue at Coney Island
• Is John Liu a born-again preservationist?
• Tiffany & Company and company opened its first store on Lower Broadway in 1837 before moving uptown to its present location. 170 years later, the company is reversing direction and will open a Tiffany & Co. store near the New York Stock Exchange.
• A UK Holiday Rental site is offering a Brooklyn apartment as a summer getaway for vacationing Brits. The description shows that some Brits will be prepared for a true NYC experience: "Summary of the apartment, 1 bedroom, sleeps 10".
• The burglar who broke into Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham's home and stole her jewelry before being easily apprehended because left his resumé behind, penned an apology note to his victim and begged for mercy, saying that he'd returned everything he'd stolen. Cops taking his confession weren't so sure, as he was wearing a pair of her earrings while writing his note.
• The NY Times is working on a big investigative piece about Rupert Murdoch and his businesses - we hope they figure out why "So You Think You Can Dance?" is on the air.
• Peter Braunstein is worried he'll be a target in prison, but would rather his attackers just kill him, instead of fighting or mutilating him.
• A property owner tried to bribe a Department of Buildings inspector to turn a blind eye on unsafe work

At his sentencing, Peter Braunstein spoke for the first time about kidnapping and assaulting a former colleague on Halloween 2005. The writer revealed that after attacking her victim, he stayed in her apartment and watched TV, because "it dawned on me that I didn't know why I was there." The Post provided a transcript of his remarks:

Asked by the judge if he wanted to speak, Peter Braunstein shrugged and replied: more ›

Peter Braunstein, the journalist who was convicted of attacking, assaulting and kidnapping a former colleague, was sentenced to 20 years to life today. Prosecutors had recommended Braunstein get 25 years to life, the maximum sentence, but last week, Braunstein had written a letter to the judge, asking for leniency and citing his mental state. more ›

Peter Braunstein, the writer who was convicted of kidnapping and torturing a former colleague, is back to writing: He sent a letter to the judge, expressing his remorse. Last month, it took a jury about four hours to find Braunstein guilty of his 13-hour 2005 attack, and Judge Thomas Farber will be sentencing Braunstein on Monday. more ›

"Some of the jurors did say they thought the comatose act was an act. When Braunstein's ex-girlfriend came in, his eyes were just wide open." (Daily News) more ›

PM Update: The jury has found Braunstein guilty of 14 of the 15 charges. He was acquitted of the arson charge (the fire he started in order to convince the victim to open up her apartment door as he posed as a firefighter). more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a body was found at Schenk and Livonia Aves. in Brooklyn that was initially reported as body parts, a shooting on Prospect Ave. in the Bronx, and there was a police car multi-vehicle accident on the Henry Hudson Parkway near 79th St.
• A daycare cries child abuse as the artists who share their space are attempting to throw the tots out on the street.
• The head of neuropsychiatry at NYU Medical Center testified that Peter Braunstein was plotting to cap his life of crime by killing Vogue Editor Anna Wintour.
• A former domestic violence counselor was found strangled to death in her own home in Brooklyn.
• The Yankees cursed pitching staff suffers another setback as Darrell Rasner broke his finger in today's game against the Mets.
• New York's Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is investigating real estate practices that may have involved brokers pressuring appraisers to inflate values.
• Jason Giambi finally admits to taking steroids prior to the BALCO scandal and apologizes for it. Deafening silence is heard from other accused players.
• Eyewitness News anchor Liz Cho gave birth to a little girl this week.

A psychiatrist who treated Peter Braunstein at Bellevue after the police arrested him for the October 21, 2005 sexual assault and kidnapping of a former colleague testified in court yesterday. Dr. Li-Wen Lee said that Braunstein, who is on trial for assault, kidnapping, said she believed he was exaggerating his symptoms. Lee also said that Braunstein has bipolar mood swings and a narcissistic personality disorder - not paranoid schizophrenia as a defense witness said - and that he stockpiled pills for a suicide attempt. more ›

The trial of Peter Braunstein reached another pinnacle of weirdness as some new revelations were made. First, the defense team of the journalist, accused of the sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary and more of a former co-worker at Women's Wear Daily, argued that certain passages from Braunstein's diary - or "personal manifesto," as he called it - shouldn't be read to the jury. The prosecutors, though, wanted to get all the mentions of "serial killer David "Son of Sam'' Berkowitz, fictional cannibal Hannibal Lecter, the Columbine massacre, and a quote from the Notorious B.I.G. about killing" (per the AP) out there. However, the judge did not allow mentions of those folks, plus Gianni Versace's murderer Andrew Cunanan, while he did allow the prosecution to present Braunstein's journal entry about killing Vogue editor Anna Wintour. What? more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bank robbery on Lafayette and Broome in Manhattan, a missing child on Rochester Ave. and President St. in Brooklyn, and a shooting on East 183rd St. and Crotona Ave. in the Bronx.
• A self-admitted alcoholic gave shaky and erratic testimony this afternoon, but was positive that he never would have given his beneficiary a stupid name like "Rafra" in the trial of two men who were accused of plotting to kill homeless drunks for their insurance money.
• Leave off the last "S" for settlement. Mattress retailer "Sleepy's" is coughing up some change from under the mattress.
• Ground Zero was Giuliani's finest hour, but linked illnesses remain a political liability.
• Nora Ephron is now a guest NY Times Op-Ed columnist. CultureGrrl Lee Rosenbaum writes, "Her first column, about her obsession with online Scrabble, appeared yesterday. Next essay topic? Maybe Mah Jongg."
• The price of NYC apartments have surged 23% in the last quarter, to an average of $743,000.
• The price of a first class stamp just rose to 41¢. If you buy Liberty Bell stamps now, they'll remain that price forever.
• Peter Braunstein wanted to skip the whole fake-fireman routine and just kill Anna Wintour.
• Donald Trump's next ratings stunt will be firing his own grandchild, or at least making the big baby cry.

The Peter Braunstein trial finished the week with the defense reading parts of the journalist's diary, written while he was on the run after attacking a co-worker. The Daily News excerpted many parts yesterday, including:

"There are no 'innocent people,' God tells me repeatedly. 'There are no victims.' Either we're all victims, or none of us are. And none of us are. more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bank robbery on 3rd St. and Broadway in Manhattan, a shooting on 57th St. and Ave. H in Brooklyn, and one more dead body in the water near Brooklyn and the Hudson River.
• Staten Island Hospital worker poisoned on the job.
• The land that would have hosted a NASCAR track on Staten Island will be sold soon because the organization and city are too slow.
• A recorded timeless piece of NYC turns only 45 this year. The Emerald Society bagpipe band celebrates an anniversary.
• It's not only city kids with murder in their hearts, upstate kids are crazy too.
• Parsons is teaching a graffiti class, and if you think this is the last you'll hear about it here, you are sadly mistaken.
• There are more complaints from parents over hosting a new bi-lingual Arabic school in Brooklyn.
• Lawyers release Peter Braunstein's "manifesto," hoping it will make him seem less, or more, crazy. We've lost track of what they're trying to do at this point.
• The architect of the building that Cory Lidle or his flight instructor slammed into is suing from the stretch.

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: an EMT was assaulted on Hazen St. at Rikers Island, a dead body in the water off Emmons and Ocean Aves. in Brooklyn, and another dead body in the water off Manhattan's Pier 11.
• The doctor taped swearing allegiance to Al Qaeda claims that his trip to Saudi Arabia to treat injured terrorists was actually just a ruse. He wanted to go to the Middle East to find out more about polygamy, so he could convince his objecting wife to let him marry some more women.
• The doctor who testified for the defense of Peter Braunstein, asserting that the fake firefighter rapist's brain is broken, is the same expert witness who said that mobster Vincent Gigante was probably suffering from dementia. After his conviction, Gigante admitted that he'd been faking it for 20 years.
• Another person was struck by a subway train this morning, and Brooklyn-bound 3 trains were halted between 148th St. and 96th St. in Manhattan while police conducted their investigation.
• Students at the International Leadership school are learning some type of lesson, as the charter school seems to have descended into anarchy. Four of eight original teachers were fired by the school's principal this year, another three teachers quit last week, and students conducted a walkout despite the principal's attempt to lock them in the school.
• The New York State Comptroller says that the state's budget does not add up and that spending is actually growing faster than Gov. Spitzer reported. Aides to Spitzer are saying that, as the new guy, the Comptroller just doesn't know how the budget in Albany works.
• National Guard Troops will soon be deployed to patrol PATH stations in New York and New Jersey. Rather than have permanent positions, Guard soldiers will pop up at random throughought the PATH system.
• When Brooklyn bloggers aren't blogging about their borough, they're meeting and talking about blogging about Brooklyn. And by extension, we've just added blogging about Brooklyn bloggers meeting and talking about blogging.

Jane Larkworthy, beauty editor of W magazine, testified yesterday in the sensational trial of her boyfriend Peter Braunstein. Lawyers for Braunstein are trying to argue that when Larkworthy dumped Braunstein, it sent him into a 2-year tailspin of depression and mental illness so severe that when he sexually attacked a co-worker on October 31, 2005 while holding her captive for 13 hours, he was just acting out a fantasy (and therefore, cannot be found guilty). The prosecution believes that Braunstein had planned the attack meticulously and was of sound mind at the time. more ›

The trial of Peter Braunstein, the journalist who sexually assaulted a colleague for 13 hours in 2005 and then went on the lam, focused on his diaries yesterday. Braunstein, who was also an aspiring playwright, did not hesitate to detail his thoughts about his crime - and the ensuing media coverage. Having seen his musings written on hotel stationery, loose-leaf paper and his own Wanted posters (!), detective Josh Ulan read excerpts aloud. The NY Times, Daily News and Post mentioned some of the same passages, but also some different ones. Here's a sampling: more ›

Day three of the Peter Braunstein trial brought information about places and things, as well as a look at evidence and the now common debates about the defendant's mental state. Lawyers for Braunstein, a journalist who is on trial a 13-hour attack on a former colleague that occurred on October 31, 2005, contend that their client is schizophrenic and that leaving some much evidence behind is not normal. Whereas prosecutors say his actions show premeditation and a clear mind. more ›

The jury in the trial of Peter Braunstein listened to the terrified voice of his victim as the prosecution played the 911 tape made on November 1, 2005. Braunstein had masqueraded as a firefighter in order for his former co-worker to let him into her apartment on Halloween night, only for him to torture her for 13 hours. From the Daily News:

The woman had somehow kept her cool as Braunstein drugged, stripped and sexually abused her for nearly 13 hours. But she finally lost it while talking to police dispatcher Marian Grillo, who struggled to reassure the terrified victim - and to keep her from hanging up. more ›

Chloroform. High-heeled shoes. A message written on the bathroom mirror. All these were things mentioned during the first day of Peter Braunstein's criminal trial, which proved graphic and upsetting. Braunstein's lawyers do not deny that the journalist attacked a former Women's Wear Daily co-worker in her apartment on October 31, 2005, by posing as a firefighter. But his defense team says that he's so mentally ill that his actions could not intentional and that Braunstein's brain "just broke." more ›

Now that he's been found medically fit to stand trial, jury selection has started in the trial of Peter Braunstein, the journalist who allegedly posed as a firefighter and molested a former co-worker on Halloween in 2005. The thing is 70% of the jurors questioned yesterday had heard about the trial and left, thanks to the moment-to-moment coverage of the case (exhibit A, B, C). But the NY Times said 30 prospective jurors who would be able to be fair remained. Can you imagine if you were on called to serve on that jury? more ›

• 90-floor hotel at the Javits Center? That'll be great for the West Side Stadium - oh, wait
• Huh: Kean University hires former NJ Governor James McGreevey to teach ethics, law and leadership - we sort of understand it because they're just paying him $17,500, but STILL
• He's ready: Suspected sexual attacker Peter Braunstein was found mentally fit to stand trial
• Former Montessori school headmistress Lina Sinha's 14 year sentence for seducing a student is one year more than the student's age at the time
• Biggest non-shock: Duane Reade being ranked #7 out of 7 pharmacy chains surveyed
• It's Brooklyn "zipper pin" designer versus the Gap; maybe she can complain about the Williamsburg jeans while she's at it
• 11 Spring Street is busy getting buffed
• The Department of Transportation may tear down or renovate the Kosciuszko Bridge because it has "narrow lanes, insufficient shoulders and limited sight distance"
• ...and in other DOT news, Streetsblog has the agency's plans for Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza - which makes you wonder why the DOT can't put them up on their site for the public to see (Streetsblog also looks at what the Grand Army Plaza Coalition's ideas are)

• Today on Gothamist Newsmap: A brush fire at 147th and Harlem River Drive, a truck stuck under the bridge at the West 231st and Broadway subway tracks in the Bronx, and a barricaded EDP on Staten Island
• College news: NYU protesters didn't storm the stage when the president of the Minutemen visited and Barnard's president is stepping down after 14 years (!)
• According to the Post, Peter Braunstein "has sat through the hearings in a wheelchair, typically slumped over, droopy-eyed and with his mouth hanging agape"

Yesterday, lawyers for Peter Braunstein, the journalist turned molester in a firefighter's costume, said that their client has a fractured skull with a brain hematoma. While they say they are not sure how he got the injury, an assistant district attorney told a judge that a Riker's official said it was "self-inflicted": "...the official said he banged his head on a sink in his cell, possibly in an attempt to delay his trial." Well, Braunstein did try to slash his own throat when authorities caught up with him in Memphis. more ›