Pedro Espada retains defense lawyer

Former State Senate leader Pedro Espada Monday reversed plans to request a court-appointed lawyer for his next criminal trial and retained Daniel Hochheiser, a Manhattan defense attorney.

U.S. District Judge William Pauley had warned Espada, who earned as much as $500,000 a year running the nonprofit Soundview health network, that any application for assistance would get close scrutiny. In the end, Espada didn't submit one.

"He's not indigent," Hochheiser said.

Espada was convicted this spring in Brooklyn federal court of using Soundview money for personal expenses.

Hochheiser will represent Espada on related tax charges scheduled for trial in November before Pauley in federal court in Manhattan, and he said that another lawyer will represent Espada on a retrial of the charges the jury in Brooklyn was unable to resolve.