Charges dropped against former town official

A judge Wednesday dismissed all charges against former North Hempstead building commissioner David Wasserman, but refused to toss out the case against three other defendants in a corruption trial centered on a New Cassel redevelopment project.

Acting Supreme Court Judge Alan Honorof said that by law, he was "constrained to allow most of the charges" against the remaining three former government officials to proceed to the jury. Honorof threw out three of the multiple counts against them: one for bribery in the third degree and two for falsifying business records in the first degree.

Wasserman, of Roslyn Heights, who served as commissioner of the town's building and planning departments, faced up to 15 to 30 years had he been convicted of charges including grand larceny and conspiracy, for stealing land by helping to steer the project to a developer who claims he paid bribes.

After Honorof made his ruling, Wasserman's attorney, Joel R. Weiss, of Uniondale, said, "David Wasserman is and always was innocent. We're thrilled to have a judge to have the courage to proclaim that." He added, "The remaining defendants certainly deserve the same outcome."

Indicted along with Wasserman in July 2010 were former Nassau lawmakers Roger Corbin of Westbury, and Patrick Williams of Uniondale; and Neville Mullings of Westbury, former executive director of the town's Community Development Agency.

Nassau prosecutors allege that developer Ranjan Batheja bribed Corbin and Williams and funneled payments to Mullings through Mullings' son in a pay-to-play scheme.

Wasserman, who also headed the town's Community Development Agency, was not accused of taking money but with participating in bid-rigging to maintain his power.

Weiss argued that Wasserman was not present at several gatherings at which prosecutors say criminal activity occurred, and that there was no evidence that Wasserman interacted with Corbin.

But referring to the alleged conspiracy, Assistant District Attorney Teresa Corrigan said, "None of this is possible without David Wasserman at the helm."

In a previous case stemming from Wasserman's private architectural work for clients in the town -- a town code ethics violation -- Wasserman pleaded guilty to grand larceny and falsifying business records. He was sentenced in 2008 to one year in jail.