Ex-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to face questioning in case by artist
NY Newsday 6/14/2002
By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press Writer
June 13, 2002, 6:59 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani will answer legal questions in a
lawsuit brought by an artist who says he was repeatedly arrested after
depicting Giuliani as Adolph Hitler in a painting, the city says.
Giuliani was one of 11 former city officials artist Robert Lederman, of
Rutherford, N.J., wanted questioned by lawyers in the case in U.S. District
Court in Manhattan.
Lederman said he was falsely arrested more than 40 times while Giuliani was
mayor and was never convicted of a crime.
City lawyers opposed the allowance of depositions with the others, including
a former police commissioner, an ex-parks commissioner and past high-level
press aides of the mayor.
In court papers filed Wednesday, the city said Giuliani will be produced for
a deposition but the others "have no knowledge of any prospective
enforcement action against Mr. Lederman."
Robin Binder, a city lawyer, declined to comment.
In a letter sent to U.S. District Judge Lawrence M. McKenna, who is hearing
the case, the city said it will ask for a court conference to "discuss
limiting the scope and duration of the former mayor's testimony."
"We're floored," Lederman said of his surprise that the city is not
challenging the deposition by Giuliani. "For eight years, Giuliani has dealt
with me at arm's length, through the police, through the court. Now I'm
finally going to get to confront him up close and personal and get him to
explain why he had me falsely arrested so many times."
Lederman said he and other artists saw a side of Giuliani that many across
the country do not know about.
"I'm certainly hoping that the outcome of this deposition will let the rest
of the country know that this man's no hero," Lederman said. "In fact, he's
a villain."
A message left with a spokeswoman for Giuliani was not immediately returned.
In court papers, the city has said that Lederman was arrested several times
after he wrote "Giuliani P> Police State" and other political statements on
the public sidewalk in chalk.
It said the arrests were permissible because Lederman violated laws
prohibiting the defacement of the public streets.
Copyright © 2002, The Associated Press
http://newsday.com/news/local/newyork/politics/wire/ny-bc-ny--streetartist-g
iul0613jun13.story?coll=ny%2Dnycpolitics%2Dwire
NY Post 6/14/2002
RUDY WILL TESTIFY VS. HITLER ART
June 14, 2002 -- Rudy Giuliani will testify against his No. 1 one artistic
enemy - the painter who depicted him as Adolph Hitler.
The former mayor will be deposed as part of the city's defense against a
federal suit by artist Robert Lederman, who claims he was illegally targeted
for arrest by the Giuliani administration.
City lawyers said in a letter to a federal judge yesterday that Giuliani
would not seek a protective order to avoid testifying at a deposition.
But protective orders have been sought by former Police Commissioner Howard
Safir, former Parks Commissioner Henry Stern, Central Parks Conservancy
President Regina Peruggi and seven other former high-level city aides, said
the letter to Judge Lawrence McKenna.
Lederman said yesterday that Giuliani's impending deposition was the
highlight of his "eight-year campaign to expose him and his violations of
the Constitution."
He filed a suit in Manhattan federal court in 1998.
John Lehmann
AP 6/14/2002
Giuliani in Street Artist Lawsuit
By LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) - Rudolph Giuliani will be allowed to answer questions in a
lawsuit brought by an artist who says he was repeatedly arrested after
depicting the former mayor as Adolf Hitler, city officials say.
Giuliani is one of 11 former city officials artist Robert Lederman, of
Rutherford, N.J., wants lawyers to question in the case.
Lederman said he was arrested more than 40 times while Giuliani was mayor
and was never convicted of a crime.
City lawyers refused to allow the other 10 officials to be deposed,
including a former police commissioner, an ex-parks commissioner and past
high-level press aides of the mayor.
In court papers filed Wednesday, the city said Giuliani will be produced for
a deposition but the others "have no knowledge of any prospective
enforcement action against Mr. Lederman."
A message left with a spokeswoman for Giuliani was not returned.
Lederman said he was surprised the city didn't object to deposing Giuliani.
"Now I'm finally going to get to confront him up close and personal."
The city has said that Lederman was arrested several times after he wrote
"Giuliani Police State" on the public sidewalk. He also has produced
drawings depicting Giuliani as Adolf Hitler.
The city said the arrests were permissible because Lederman violated laws
prohibiting the defacement of the public streets.
For more information and the Giuliani portraits at the center of this
lawsuit see:
http://baltech.org/lederman/
Robert Lederman robert.lederman@worldnet.att.net
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