For court stenographer Randy Berkowitz, handling Donald Trump's arraignment was 'pretty awesome experience'
Veteran courtroom stenographer Randy Berkowitz waltzed right up to Donald Trump in the Manhattan courtroom where the ex-president had just been arraigned on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and extended his hand — and his business card.
“I just gave him my card, shook his hand and introduced myself,” Berkowitz, an Atlantic Beach resident who has worked for 38 years as a court reporter in the downtown Manhattan courthouse where Trump was arraigned Tuesday, said in an interview with Newsday. “Even though he is a former president, I’m not people-shy, so it doesn't bother me getting up and doing it. … Him in particular, just shaking his hand, and knowing that you're shaking a former president's hand, it was a pretty awesome experience.”
Trump, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, told Berkowitz: "Thank you, I appreciate it."
Trump, the 76-year-old Queens native and 45th president, who announced his candidacy for another term as president after losing his 2020 reelection bid to Joe Biden, then tucked Berkowitz's card inside his suit pocket and left the courtroom with his team of lawyers.
"I just wanted Trump in particular to feel comfortable because, listen, I feel bad for people," said Berkowitz, who approached Trump and his lawyers once the proceeding had ended and the judge left the courtroom. "I felt bad, knowing as a human being, it's tough to be at a defendant's table.”
Berkowitz, who said he frequently hands out his cards to prosecutors, defense attorneys, defendants and journalists who might be interested in purchasing his transcripts, was one of just a few people — besides Acting Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, the court clerk who asked Trump for his plea to the charges and Trump's attorneys — to speak to Trump inside the 15th-floor courtroom under extremely tight security.
“But ya know, when I got up, I said to myself, 'Is the Secret Service going to come running after me?' " he said.
Berkowitz, a seen-it-all-before court reporter whose job is to produce verbatim transcripts of court proceedings — typing at a dizzying speed in excess of 225 words per minute in one of the busiest courthouses in America — said he was struck by the historic nature of Trump's arraignment.
"It was an amazing moment in court reporting to be there," Berkowitz said. “It was kind of surreal to have a president coming to a defendant’s table to sit down like any other defendant and go through a court proceeding. And me being there, knowing this was a piece of history, it was exciting. Ya know, I thought I would be nervous at first. But actually, I wasn’t nervous at all. I was probably as calm as I've been on any other case. I guess that's where the experience kicks in."
Berkowitz, who speaks with a thick New York accent and peppers his speech with expressions such as “ya know” and “oy,” was born and raised in Brooklyn.
After receiving training at the now-shuttered Heffley and Browne Secretarial School on Montague Street in Brooklyn, he was hired as a stenographic specialist for the city agency known as the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. He went to work as a provisional court reporter in Bronx Supreme Court in 1983. He also did grand jury cases and misdemeanors before he worked his first trial in Manhattan in 1985.
"I was actually one of the youngest court reporters to get to Supreme Court at 21 years old," he said.
Berkowitz, who is not related to "Son of Sam" killer David Berkowitz but said his Brooklyn classmates often asked him if he was, later lived on Staten Island before moving to the South Shore village of Atlantic Beach 26 years ago.
Berkowitz is a married father of an adult son and a doting grandfather of a 3-year-old he described as the "most amazing little boy" and "so adorable." He called himself “50-plus” before fessing up to his age of 63.
A registered Republican, Berkowitz demurred when asked about his feelings on Trump politically.
"I'm into politics, cuz how could you not be in this day and age?" Berkowitz said. "Yes, I'm registered as a Republican, but honestly when it comes down to voting … I actually look at each person and vote for whoever I think would be best for the country."
Berkowitz’s boss, Susan Pearce-Bates, the principal court reporter at the Manhattan courthouse, referred to Berkowitz in a brief telephone interview as “my ace guy.” She said there was “no doubt at all” that he could handle the historic task.
“Mr. Berkowitz is the epitome of a professional,” said Pearce-Bates, who said she was not surprised that Berkowitz approached Trump. “That did not surprise me because he’s a take-charge reporter. That’s just his nature. It doesn’t matter who the person is — if he’s just an everyday defendant, or the president of the United States, or the former president.”
The task of creating a transcript of Trump’s arraignment went to Berkowitz, whose title is deputy principal senior court reporter, because he is the longest-serving stenographer at the Manhattan courthouse. He’s second-in-command to the 50 court reporters who work there.
Berkowitz has worked cases with other high-profile defendants and, besides being empathetic toward both defendants and crime victims, he said he avoids showing his cards. He was a courtroom stenographer on the 2020 Harvey Weinstein trial, and during the trial last year that ended with the conviction of the Trump Organization on tax fraud charges.
“We’re kind of trained, because we hear so many of these cases, to really be emotionless because you don’t want to make any faces or anything that could influence the jury,” Berkowitz said. “So you really have to be pretty much like a robot when you’re sitting there.”
Berkowitz has had brushes with fame in the past. Actors Rosie Perez and Annabella Sciorra, he said, asked to meet with him after they testified at Weinstein’s trial.
“They’re testifying and they’re scared and they actually said I was a calming atmosphere for them,” Berkowitz said. “It’s nice when you hear that cuz you feel bad."
Trump released a statement the day after his arraignment in which he complimented the court personnel and police officers at the courthouse.
“The GREAT PATRIOTS inside and outside the Courthouse on Tuesday were unbelievably nice, in fact, they couldn’t have been nicer,” the statement read. “Court attendants, Police Officers, and others were all very professional, and represented New York City sooo well. Thank you to all!”
Berkowitz — in contrast to Trump, who has blasted Acting Supreme Court Judge Jose Merchan, the presiding judge, as a “Trump-hating judge" — heaped praise on Merchan, whom he has worked with previously.
“I know everything that’s going on now with Democrats, with Republicans, with the Trump thing, everything,” Berkowitz said. “But out of fairness, I really don’t believe anybody, not just in this case, could get a fairer judge than Judge Merchan.”
If Trump's case goes to trial, Berkowitz will be there, he said, typing away on his stenographic machine.
"I could have retired about seven years ago," said Berkowitz, who related that he has a condo in Miami's South Beach. "But I didn't because I really love this job and it's so interesting. It's hard to walk away from."
Veteran courtroom stenographer Randy Berkowitz waltzed right up to Donald Trump in the Manhattan courtroom where the ex-president had just been arraigned on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and extended his hand — and his business card.
“I just gave him my card, shook his hand and introduced myself,” Berkowitz, an Atlantic Beach resident who has worked for 38 years as a court reporter in the downtown Manhattan courthouse where Trump was arraigned Tuesday, said in an interview with Newsday. “Even though he is a former president, I’m not people-shy, so it doesn't bother me getting up and doing it. … Him in particular, just shaking his hand, and knowing that you're shaking a former president's hand, it was a pretty awesome experience.”
Trump, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, told Berkowitz: "Thank you, I appreciate it."
Trump, the 76-year-old Queens native and 45th president, who announced his candidacy for another term as president after losing his 2020 reelection bid to Joe Biden, then tucked Berkowitz's card inside his suit pocket and left the courtroom with his team of lawyers.
WHAT TO KNOW
- Randy Berkowitz of Atlantic Beach was the stenographer in charge of creating a court transcript of former President Donald Trump's historic arraignment on criminal charges on Tuesday.
- Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records during a mid afternoon appearance in Manhattan criminal court.
- Berkowitz has worked cases with other high-profile defendants. He was a courtroom stenographer on the 2020 Harvey Weinstein trial, and during the trial last year that ended with the conviction of the Trump Organization on tax fraud charges.
"I just wanted Trump in particular to feel comfortable because, listen, I feel bad for people," said Berkowitz, who approached Trump and his lawyers once the proceeding had ended and the judge left the courtroom. "I felt bad, knowing as a human being, it's tough to be at a defendant's table.”
Berkowitz, who said he frequently hands out his cards to prosecutors, defense attorneys, defendants and journalists who might be interested in purchasing his transcripts, was one of just a few people — besides Acting Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, the court clerk who asked Trump for his plea to the charges and Trump's attorneys — to speak to Trump inside the 15th-floor courtroom under extremely tight security.
“But ya know, when I got up, I said to myself, 'Is the Secret Service going to come running after me?' " he said.
Berkowitz, a seen-it-all-before court reporter whose job is to produce verbatim transcripts of court proceedings — typing at a dizzying speed in excess of 225 words per minute in one of the busiest courthouses in America — said he was struck by the historic nature of Trump's arraignment.
"It was an amazing moment in court reporting to be there," Berkowitz said. “It was kind of surreal to have a president coming to a defendant’s table to sit down like any other defendant and go through a court proceeding. And me being there, knowing this was a piece of history, it was exciting. Ya know, I thought I would be nervous at first. But actually, I wasn’t nervous at all. I was probably as calm as I've been on any other case. I guess that's where the experience kicks in."
Berkowitz, who speaks with a thick New York accent and peppers his speech with expressions such as “ya know” and “oy,” was born and raised in Brooklyn.
After receiving training at the now-shuttered Heffley and Browne Secretarial School on Montague Street in Brooklyn, he was hired as a stenographic specialist for the city agency known as the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. He went to work as a provisional court reporter in Bronx Supreme Court in 1983. He also did grand jury cases and misdemeanors before he worked his first trial in Manhattan in 1985.
"I was actually one of the youngest court reporters to get to Supreme Court at 21 years old," he said.
Berkowitz, who is not related to "Son of Sam" killer David Berkowitz but said his Brooklyn classmates often asked him if he was, later lived on Staten Island before moving to the South Shore village of Atlantic Beach 26 years ago.
Berkowitz is a married father of an adult son and a doting grandfather of a 3-year-old he described as the "most amazing little boy" and "so adorable." He called himself “50-plus” before fessing up to his age of 63.
Former President Donald Trump with his defense team during his arraignment Tuesday. Credit: Getty Images/Pool
A registered Republican, Berkowitz demurred when asked about his feelings on Trump politically.
"I'm into politics, cuz how could you not be in this day and age?" Berkowitz said. "Yes, I'm registered as a Republican, but honestly when it comes down to voting … I actually look at each person and vote for whoever I think would be best for the country."
Berkowitz’s boss, Susan Pearce-Bates, the principal court reporter at the Manhattan courthouse, referred to Berkowitz in a brief telephone interview as “my ace guy.” She said there was “no doubt at all” that he could handle the historic task.
“Mr. Berkowitz is the epitome of a professional,” said Pearce-Bates, who said she was not surprised that Berkowitz approached Trump. “That did not surprise me because he’s a take-charge reporter. That’s just his nature. It doesn’t matter who the person is — if he’s just an everyday defendant, or the president of the United States, or the former president.”
The task of creating a transcript of Trump’s arraignment went to Berkowitz, whose title is deputy principal senior court reporter, because he is the longest-serving stenographer at the Manhattan courthouse. He’s second-in-command to the 50 court reporters who work there.
Berkowitz has worked cases with other high-profile defendants and, besides being empathetic toward both defendants and crime victims, he said he avoids showing his cards. He was a courtroom stenographer on the 2020 Harvey Weinstein trial, and during the trial last year that ended with the conviction of the Trump Organization on tax fraud charges.
“We’re kind of trained, because we hear so many of these cases, to really be emotionless because you don’t want to make any faces or anything that could influence the jury,” Berkowitz said. “So you really have to be pretty much like a robot when you’re sitting there.”
Berkowitz has had brushes with fame in the past. Actors Rosie Perez and Annabella Sciorra, he said, asked to meet with him after they testified at Weinstein’s trial.
“They’re testifying and they’re scared and they actually said I was a calming atmosphere for them,” Berkowitz said. “It’s nice when you hear that cuz you feel bad."
Trump released a statement the day after his arraignment in which he complimented the court personnel and police officers at the courthouse.
“The GREAT PATRIOTS inside and outside the Courthouse on Tuesday were unbelievably nice, in fact, they couldn’t have been nicer,” the statement read. “Court attendants, Police Officers, and others were all very professional, and represented New York City sooo well. Thank you to all!”
Berkowitz — in contrast to Trump, who has blasted Acting Supreme Court Judge Jose Merchan, the presiding judge, as a “Trump-hating judge" — heaped praise on Merchan, whom he has worked with previously.
“I know everything that’s going on now with Democrats, with Republicans, with the Trump thing, everything,” Berkowitz said. “But out of fairness, I really don’t believe anybody, not just in this case, could get a fairer judge than Judge Merchan.”
If Trump's case goes to trial, Berkowitz will be there, he said, typing away on his stenographic machine.
"I could have retired about seven years ago," said Berkowitz, who related that he has a condo in Miami's South Beach. "But I didn't because I really love this job and it's so interesting. It's hard to walk away from."
Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.
Navigating politics over Thanksgiving and where to get holiday pies. Here's a look at some of the exclusive stories you may have missed this week on NewsdayTV.
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