The U.S. District Court Judge presiding over the federal tax fraud case against Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams has died of a major heart attack according to Nola.com. He was 87 years old.
Judge Martin Feldman, died around 9:15 p.m. at Touro Hospital in New Orleans. As the news outlet reports, Feldman was first admitted to the hospital for pneumonia according to his judicial assistant Donna Wisecarver.
Feldman was presiding over the delayed tax fraud case against Williams and his law partner Nicole Burdett.
Western District of Louisiana prosecutors were fighting Feldman’s decision to exclude some evidence that suggests Williams has a long history of allegedly not filing taxes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Orleans recused itself from the case. Attorneys on both sides were set for a Jan. 24 trial date but that may not be up in the air.
