Ludwick Case Adjourned to November
Six relatives of Paul Hansen, the Noyac man killed in an Aug. 30 car crash, were in Southampton Town Justice Court on Thursday when Sean P. Ludwick, who is accused of leaving the crash scene and of drunken driving, made a brief appearance. Mr. Hansen was a passenger in Mr. Ludwick’s car.
Mr. Ludwick's demeanor was quite different from his last time in the court, Sept. 4. On that occasion, he sat in the back row counting out bills from a thick wad of cash. He left the courthouse that day wearing dark sunglasses, with his hands behind his back, as if handcuffed.
Outside the courthouse this time, accompanied by his new lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, Mr. Ludwick frequently looked down at the ground, appearing contrite.
"We are very much aware of the tragic consequences of this accident," Mr. Brafman said, as Mr. Ludwick, a real estate developer who lives in Manhattan and Wainscott, stood next to him, hands in his pockets. He remained silent throughout. "We intend to address the issues responsibly. We extend sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Hansen," said Mr. Brafman, who has represented a number of celebrities in trouble with the law, including Sean Combs, Michael Jackson, and Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
Mr. Brafman told CNN in 2012 that he instructs his clients to "be quiet for the next few years. You have to take it on the chin." When New York magazine did a feature on him some time ago, another veteran lawyer, Paul Shechtman, said that "what Ben manages to do is wrap his clients in his own credibility. Jurors wind up saying that the defendant couldn't be that bad if Ben's speaking for him."
Meanwhile, in a conference room in the courthouse, the Hansen family's lawyer, Edward Burke Jr., was speaking with the assembled relatives. When the group emerged, Mr. Burke, a friend of Paul Hansen from childhood, introduced his brother, Bob Hansen, to the press, saying he would make a brief statement and would not take questions.
"We are highly confident in the investigation that is ongoing," Mr. Hansen said. "We appreciate all the work they are doing, and we clearly understand that this is going to take some time. But, at the end of the day, we are looking for justice to be served, and we are confident that that will happen."
During the brief court proceeding, Mr. Brafman waived his client's constitutional right to a speedy trial. "I have been speaking with Mr. Prudenti," he said, referring to John Scott Prudenti, head of the Suffolk County vehicular crime unit, and "I don't think the lab reports are ready." He asked that Mr. Ludwick's next court date be in November, and Justice Kooperstein set Nov. 24, the day before Thanksgiving, for Mr. Ludwick's next court appearance.
Besides testing the defendant's blood for alcohol and other drugs, District Attorney Thomas Spota's office is also testing the clothes he was wearing at the time of the accident. When Mr. Ludwick was first arraigned, on the day of the accident, he was wearing a plastic jumpsuit, his clothing having been confiscated as potential evidence by Southampton Town police.
While Justice Kooperstein was quite clear that Mr. Ludwick must appear on all court dates, it is possible that his next appearance could be in State Supreme Court in Riverside, for arraignment on the one felony he is charged with thus far, leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He might face other felony charges as well, including assault with a deadly weapon, a car, and vehicular manslaughter.
Mr. Ludwick is currently free on a $1 million bond.