A New Jersey lawyer has pleaded not guilty to charges that he arranged for the murder of a federal witness.
Paul Bergrin was arraigned Thursday along with fellow attorney Thomas Moran and three other defendants.
Bergrin is charged with murder, conspiracy and racketeering. He's accused of setting up a witness' murder in 2004 and attempting to arrange the murder of other witnesses last year.
The U.S. Attorney's Office can seek the death penalty against Bergrin, who once represented Queen Latifah and the rap group Naughty By Nature.
Last month, Bergrin pleaded guilty to conspiring to run the NY Confidential brothel after founder and self-proclaimed "King of all pimps" Jason Itzler got busted. Among the perks that came with Bergrin's gig there was a buffet of $1,000-an-hour hookers, but he was eventually sentenced to three years' probation and sentenced to $50,000.
In addition to rap stars, Bergrin has represented some high-profile clients, including a former New Jersey beauty pageant who in May was sentenced to jail for writing bad checks, as well as an American soldier who pleaded guilty in 2007 to murdering three detainees in Iraq the previous year.
Also Thursday, Moran pleaded not guilty to being part of the racketeering conspiracy, and three other defendants charged with conspiracy and wire fraud pleaded not guilty as well.
