Ex-judge's hearing for red-light camera fines delayed

A former Nassau County District Court judge was successful Tuesday in getting a traffic court hearing scheduled for Wednesday postponed until a State Supreme Court justice has had time to consider his claim that the camera that caught his wife running a red light is unconstitutional.

Samuel Levine, 81, of Long Beach, has said Nassau's red-light camera system, which photographs a car's license plate as the car passes through a red light, is illegal because every defendant has a right to confront his accuser, and in this case the "accuser" is a camera maintained by an out-of-state company.

Justice Anthony Parga said in court he could see no harm in delaying the traffic court hearing until he has had time to consider legal papers Levine and the county have submitted on the issue. County Attorney Andrew Scott had opposed the delay.

Levine's wife, Lee, was driving the car on Oct. 19 and Oct. 29 when a camera caught her in the intersection at Long Beach Road and Daly Boulevard in Oceanside. She has said the yellow light at the intersection was unusually brief and was afraid the car behind her would rear-end her if she stopped short.