Couples therapist Joyce Poster-Lederman has been barred from her Upper West Side apartment since September 29th, when she allegedly slashed her 79-year-old husband with two kitchen knives. But yesterday her lawyers convinced Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Anthony Ferrara to let her pack her knives and go home—despite the judge's initial reluctance. Defense lawyer Aaron Wallenstein insisted to Judge Ferrara that husband Selwyn Lederman, also a psychologist, wants her back. But the judge got the courtroom in stiches with his commentary.
"The allegation is she stabbed her husband? And you're going to let her go home?" Judge Ferrara, a real cut-up, wondered. "I'm going to let her go home to a 79-year-old man where it's alleged she stabbed him with knives? You're assuring me he's going to be safe?" According to the Post, which has dubbed the incident a "shrink-on-shrink slash-down," Ferrara held up the DA's order of protection and wondered, "This piece of paperwork will protect him? Against knives?" And everyone had a good laugh.
Ultimately, the judge reluctantly agreed to let her go home, after prosecutors assured him that Lederman's injuries were not as severe as prosecutors initially believed. But hopefully the old man learned his lesson, because if this photo of Poster-Lederman leaving court is any indication, she is clearly not someone you want to piss off.
