A federal judge says a prominent New Jersey defense lawyer accused of trying to set up the murder of a witness won't have to wear an electronic security bracelet during his upcoming trial.
But U.S. District Judge William Martini warned Paul Bergrin that he would reconsider the ruling issued Friday if he acts "inappropriately" in court.
Bergrin -- whose former clients include entertainers Queen Latifah and Lil' Kim _ was arrested in 2009 and charged with a host of offenses including bribery and prostitution. He's accused of arranging the murder of a government witness in Newark and trying to hire a hit man to murder another witness.
A judge threw out racketeering charges against him last year.
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But a federal appeals court reinstated the charges in April.
Bergrin will act as his own lawyer during the trial, which will start with jury selection on Tuesday.
Martini had ruled last month that Bergrin must remain at a fixed podium when speaking during the trial and told him he would have to wear a shock-delivering electronic bracelet that would have been controlled by U.S. Marshals in court.
But the judge reconsidered that decision during the two-hour court hearing on Friday to cover pretrial issues, noting Bergrin has apparently not acted out or posed a threat during his two years in pre-trial lockup or while appearing at multiple court hearings.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
