by Patrick H. Moore
Now that Hemy Neuman has been convicted of murdering Rusty Sneiderman and all murder-related charges against Andrea Sneiderman have been dropped, it’s difficult for me to comprehend, in a de facto sense, why she must even stand trial. Of course I understand — in a legal sense — why this trial is taking place. Andrea is charged with seven counts of perjury and other related charges for — according to the prosecutors — systematically lying both on the witness stand at Neuman’s trial and in personal statements she made to law enforcement during the investigation.
But, nevertheless, I really don’t see what all the fuss is about, other than the fact that our judicial system, based as it is on the concept of the efficacy and sanctity of the “rule of law”, insists that she still be charged with the perjury-related counts. But really, how is she that different from any other trial witness who lies on the witness stand? What harm has she really done? Hemy Neuman is “toast.” However his “guilty with insanity” verdict ultimately plays out, he is going to be incarcerated one way or another for a very long time.
Yet, the prosecutors are insisting on playing out this charade to the bitter end, and if convicted, Andrea could receive, in my humble opinion, as much as five years in prison. (I’m aware that based on the counts she’s facing, her exposure is far more than five years, but it’s hard for for to imagine the judge giving her more than that.)
What Is Andrea Sneiderman Actually Guilty Of?
Andrea’s guilt appears to hinge — in a general sense — on two key questions. First, did she lie in claiming that she didn’t know her husband had been shot until she arrived at the hospital? Second, was she lying on the numerous occasions when she claimed that she had never been romantically involved with Hemy Neuman. My general sense is that of course she’s lying. It’s highly probable that Neuman, given the fact he was so obsessed with her, combined with the fact that Rusty Sneiderman was her husband, did call her to give her the bad news soon after he pulled the trigger. As to the love affair itself, numerous witnesses have provided testimony that suggests that Neuman and Andrea were romantically entangled.
If this were not a criminal case, Andrea would have every right to lie to her heart’s content about 1) when she discovered her husband had been shot, and 2) whether she and Neuman had ever been lovers. In fact, married people lie all the time about their extramarital affairs without facing possible prison time. As to when she discovered Rusty Sneiderman had been shot and killed — what possible difference does it make now? Rusty Sneiderman is dead and Hemy Neuman is convicted of the murder. The prosecutors do not believe Andrea was an accomplice to or in any way involved in the slayhing. If they still believed she was involved, they would never have dropped the murder charges.
So again I ask: What is Andrea Sneiderman guilty of that obligates her to stand trial? The answer is simple. Under the law, she may well have perjured herself and committed other similar crimes. And the prosecutors may well succeed in convicting her on these grounds. And she may well go to prison for a long time. Even though none of this makes the slightest difference EXCEPT IN A COURT OF LAW.
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I am not suggesting that the hallowed concept of the rule of law is not without value. Without enforceable laws administered in a judicious manner, chaos would rapidly ensue. On the other hand, for the rule of law to be a viable tool, it must be flexible. And in this case, it makes no sense to force Andrea Sneiderman to go to trial in a case which is now essentially meaningless. A better solution would have been to work out a plea deal in which Andrea Sneiderman pays her debt to society, such as it is, through community service and possibly house arrest. It is clear that she has inconvenienced the system, but not — in my opinion — to such a degree that a term of imprisonment needs to be contemplated.
Click here to view our previous posts concerning the Andrea Sneiderman trial:
Andrea Sneiderman Trial: Sex, Death and Romantic Love
Andrea Sneiderman Is Taking a Huge Risk by Going to Trial
Andrea Sneiderman Reportredly “Gave In” to Hemy Neuman in London