“Still Lying”: Prosecutors Slam Girardi’s Defense
In a moment that bordered on surreal, Girardi addressed the court Tuesday, suggesting — as he did during his trial — that the missing money was due to accounting mishaps and that all clients were eventually paid. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Paetty wasn’t having it, telling the judge flatly that Girardi is still lying. Several victims, he said, never received their rightful settlements.
Health vs. Justice: Court Balances Age and Accountability
Girardi’s public defender, Samuel Cross, pleaded for mercy, emphasizing the former lawyer’s declining health, dementia diagnosis, and advanced age. He asked for a non-custodial sentence that would allow Girardi to remain in the locked medical facility where he has lived in recent years.
But Judge Staton made clear that justice had to be seen — and felt.
“Lawyers have great power and great discretion in our society,” she said. “They sometimes forget that they can be held to account, and when millions of dollars have been stolen from clients over the course of years, a noncustodial sentence is not sufficient general deterrence.”
She acknowledged his frailty, issuing a downward departure from the sentencing guidelines of 135–168 months, instead imposing 87 months — just over seven years.
