Judge Delays Bergrin Sentencing

A federal judge on Monday delayed the sentencing of Paul W. Bergrin for one month after Bergrin said he had not been able to fully respond to the government’s sentencing memorandum, according to published reports.

U.S. District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh gave Bergrin two weeks to file a supplementary brief and set Sept. 23 as the new sentencing date, the Record reports. 

The prominent former Nutley resident whose clients once included US soldiers, suspected drug dealers and rapper Lil Kim, was found guilty by a federal jury on nearly two dozen counts, including murder and racketeering, in March.  

Bergrin, a former prosecutor who rose to fame both for his flamboyant style and his defense of US soldiers in the Abu Ghraib prisoner-abuse case in 2004, was accused of narcotics and other charges, including witness tampering and murder.