On Day Two in the trial of Hemy Neuman, charged in the November 2010 death of Dunwoody businessman Rusty Sneiderman, the victim's widow, Andrea Sneiderman, continued her testimony. She faced a tough cross-examination from defense lawyer Bob Rubin regarding her relationship with Neuman, her former boss at GE Energy. Both the state and the defense allege Andrea Sneiderman was romantically involved with Neuman, the man who has acknowledged fatally shooting her husband and has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. On Tuesday, Sneiderman – the first witness the DeKalb County District Attorney’s office called – adamantly denied having an affair with Neuman.
For background on the story, read here. For Tuesday's minute-by-minute, read here.
Here's ajc.com's minute-by-minute coverage from Wednesday's court session:
5:07 p.m.: Testimony ended for the day.
4:55 p.m.: John Turner, a retiree who worked at a gun range in Woodstock in November 2010. He said on Nov. 1, 2010, he rented a firing position at the range to Hemy Neuman.
4:20 p.m.: Jan DaSilva testified that he had listed a gun for sale on a website in October 2010. He said Neuman contacted him about buying the gun. He said he sold the 40 caliber handgun for $375 to Neuman in person at his job at a restaurant. DaSilva said Neuman told him he was Puerto Rican and spoke Spanish to him after learning that DaSilva was Puerto Rican. DaSilva said Neuman told him "Don't ever have a mistress" in a subsequent meeting in late November and that there were problems in his family because of his mistress. DaSilva said Neuman offered him money if DaSilva would lie if anyone asked if he had bought the gun from him.
3:40 p.m.: GE employee James Vono was Neuman's manager in 2010. He said Neuman was a logical thinker, organized in his thoughts. During a social outing at a pub near GE, he said Neuman told him about his personal troubles and that he was involved with a woman who was married, and had two children. He told Vono that he had had relations with that person, that it made him feel young again. Vono answered 'no' when he was asked if Neuman had mentioned suicide or demons.
3:30 p.m.: In November 2010 when Hanson relocated to Atlanta, she said Neuman came to her GE office to welcome her. She said he seemed fine. The next time she heard from him was a phone call in December 2010. Neuman told her he was going to Florida with his daughters. Asked if he seemed depressed or down or upset or had been having delusions, she said no. She said his general demeanor was 'normal.'
3:20 p.m.: The next witness was GE Human Resource director Orna Hanson, a friend of Neuman. She said she met him in September 2010 for dinner in Houston where he was attending a GE meeting. She said Neuman told her about marital problems. He said he was considering separating from his wife and was having an affair. She told him she thought he was going through a midlife crisis and he should try to save his marriage. She said she asked if the woman worked for GE, and Neuman said no. If Neuman had said yes, she would have had to report the relationship to GE, she said.
3:10 p.m.: On Sept. 28, 2010, White sent Neuman an email saying she felt Sneiderman had Neuman on a yo-yo, getting close to him and then pulling away.
3:04 p.m.: "I couldn't have sex with someone I didn't love," Neuman wrote about Andrea Sneiderman in a letter read to the court by Melanie White.
2:45 p.m.: White said Neuman sent her numerous emails that were between him and Sneiderman and asked for her opinion on the relationship. He also sent an email about leaving his wife. She was asked if Neuman ever mentioned seeing demons, was depressed, or talked of suicide. She said no.
2:40 p.m.: The realtor said she and Neuman became good friends over the years. She said Neuman told her he was going to England with Sneiderman on business. When asked about his demeanor, she said "same old Hemy." After the London trip, Neuman told her he and Sneiderman got closer. He told her he and Sneiderman had decided they were soul mates, but that she would not leave her husband. He asked White what he should do. She said she told him to go back to his wife and leave Andrea alone.
2:35 p.m.: The judge then called a short break.
2:30 p.m.: Melanie White, a real estate agent who sold Neuman his home in 2006 testifies that she met with Neuman in August 2010 to discuss a short sell of his home because he said he was having financial issues. He also told her he had moved out of his home and he was interested in a married woman. When asked about his demeanor, White said he didn't seem depressed or out of touch with reality.
2:15 p.m.: The bartender testified she saw Neuman and Sneiderman dancing in August 2010. She said they were her only customers that night. She said they were groping and grinding on the dance floor and they were giving each other 'mouth to mouth' kisses. "They were having their own moment," she said.
2:11 p.m.: The prosecution called Christine Olivera, a bartender at Pulse Lounge in Greenville, S.C., to the witness stand.
2:01 p.m.: The prosecution called Michael Heater, General Manager of the Embassy Suites in Greenville, S.C., to the witness stand.
1:54 p.m.: The prosecution produced documentation of a room change request from Andrea Sneiderman. Clayton reads documentation indicating Sneiderman changed her room reservation to from "a room with two beds for one person to a room with one bed for two people."
1:51 p.m.: The prosecution called Lindsay Clayton, the Hampton Inn's front desk manager, to the witness stand.
1:49 p.m.: Ingraham was dismissed from the witness stand and released from her subpoena.
1:43 p.m.: Neuman asked Ingraham to put flowers, chocolates and a nice card in the room of his new wife Andrea Sneiderman.
1:40 p.m.: The prosecution called Ruth Ingraham, a front desk agent at the Hampton Inn, to the witness stand.
Noon: Judge Gregory Adams called for a midday break.
11:45 a.m. Next to testify was a front desk clerk from the Hampton Inn in Longmont, Colo. He said Neuman called on July 17, 2010 and requested the hotel provide chocolates and flowers to his new wife, Andrea Sneiderman, who would be arriving the next day. The desk agent said he told Neuman the hotel did not provide such services. He said Neuman persisted with other staffers until the clerk called him and told him to stop asking. The clerk did, however, carry out one of Neuman's requests. He passed along a message to Sneiderman the next day. "Andrea, Hemy says he loves you," was the message. The clerk said she responded "bashfully, looked down at the floor, then looked up and acknowledged the note. "
11:40 a.m. A Human Resources manager for GE testified about Neuman's duties. He also recalled Nov. 10, when Neuman came to his office to report that Andrea Sneiderman had to leave work because her husband had been shot. He described Neuman's demeanor that day as serious. He also said Neuman had never spoken of delusions, or seemed depressed or had ever exhibited extreme mood swings at work.
11:35 a.m.: Sneiderman questioning ends. Judge told her she was still under subpoena and must now remain outside the courtroom. She tried to question that decision. The judge stopped her and repeated that she would not be allowed in the courtroom.
11:27 a.m. Sneiderman was asked why she didn't tell police about her concerns about Neuman after he husband was killed. "Why were you protecting the defendant?" Rubin asked Sneiderman. "Have you seen what has happened to my life?" was her response.
11:25 a.m.: When police asked her, after the shooting, whether someone was trying to break up her marriage, she said no. She said that what Neuman was doing did not feel like breaking up a marriage.
11:20 a.m.: Testimony resumed. Sneiderman was asked if she recalled Neuman saying that her daughter was his; and if he had ever mentioned demons. She said no.
11:13 a.m.: Rubin asked Sneiderman if she received a $2 million insurance payment in December 2010. She said yes. Judge Adams then called a short break.
11:10 a.m.: Rubin asked Sneiderman if she called police after she received emails from Neuman expressing sadness that her husband had been killed. She said she did not. He asked if she recalled receiving an email from Neuman that included a Bruno Mars version of the song "Just the Way You Are" on Dec. 28. Sneiderman said she didn't open the email.
11:05 a.m.: Rubin asked why Sneiderman called Neuman at 11:48 p.m. on Nov. 19, after her husband's shooting. She said she called him and others who she had mentioned to police as possible interviews. The time of day of the call wasn't relevant, she said. "I wasn't sleeping at that point."
11 a.m.: On Nov. 10, Rubin noted that Andrea Sneiderman had called Neuman at 7:25 a.m., and again at noon on the day of a gas leak at her house. She responded: "Yes, the day he tried to kill my husband." She said that wasn't unusual, that she called Neuman often to discuss work.
10:55 a.m.: Rubin asked her about what happened on the next trip to Greenville, after the England trip. She said she realized that dancing with him at a club was wrong. "He didn't know boundaries and wouldn't let it go." Rubin noted that Sneiderman didn't tell her husband at this point of go to HR at work.
10:50 a.m.: Rubin asked why she still allowed Neuman to go on the trip. Sneiderman said Neuman needed to be there for work purposes.
10:45 a.m.: On Aug. 27, Neuman sent an email after receiving her email about the betrayal in Greenville, expressing sorrow for causing her pain, and said he didn't have to go to England if she thought it was best.
10:40 a.m.: Rubin reminded Sneiderman that despite concerns she expressed to friends about Neuman, she still planned to go to a club and to a castle with him in England. He asked her if that was her definition of shying away from Neuman. She said "everyone has their definition," of shying away.
10:35 a.m.: Sneiderman was questioned about a Sept. 12, 2010 email where she and Neuman discussed the upcoming trip to England on Sept. 18. He suggested they go to a dance club, and she said it would be a great idea.
10:30 a.m. Sneiderman admited that she sent 100 photos from her daughter's birthday party to Neuman. Then she sent another 98 photos from the birthday party to Neuman. This was after her trip with Neuman to Greenville, S.C., where she said they danced and held hands. She said she then sent him an email about being upset and angry about the hand holding.
10:15 a.m.: Trial resumed after a short break. Rubin questioned Sneiderman about emails and a photo she sent Neuman of a project she worked on with her daughter.
10:05 a.m.: Judge Adams ordered a break in testimony.
10:00 a.m.: Rubin reminded Sneiderman that she changed seats on the flight back to Atlanta to sit next to Neuman, gave him a ride home from the airport and later introduced him to her husband.
9:58 a.m.: Sneiderman said she believed Neuman was stalking her.
9:55 a.m.: Rubin questioned Sneiderman about romantic emails Neuman sent her in Colorado. She responded "so romantic and sweet."
9:46 a.m.: Judge Gregory Adams scolded Rubin for making a comment about Sneiderman's reaction to a question.
9:44 a.m.: Sneiderman said she gave list of names, including Neuman, to Dunwoody police for possible interviews.
9:34 a.m.: Sneiderman said she told police about Neuman's romantic interest in her and told police she had no romantic interests in him.
9:33 a.m.: Rubin questioned Sneiderman about interviews with Dunwoody police after the shooting.
9:27 a.m.: Sneiderman said she was afraid she might lose her job if she reported Neuman's actions to Human Resources at GE.
9:22 a.m.: Sneiderman told Rubin she couldn't remember what was in the poem Neuman read her at dinner in Lake Tahoe.
9:20 a.m. Sneiderman said Neuman first made his romantic interests known on a trip to Lake Tahoe, Nev., in July 2010.
9:15 a.m.: Neuman attorney Robert Rubin questioned Sneiderman about family difficulties.
9:11 a.m.: Jurors returned to the courtroom, judge admonished jurors to be on time: "I really need you to be on time."
9:09 a.m.: Andrea Sneiderman returned to witness stand.
8:59 a.m.: Hemy Neuman entered courtroom, judge announced trial would be delayed shortly, awaiting the arrival of two jurors.
On Wednesday morning, Andrea Sneiderman faced a tough cross-examination from defense lawyer Bob Rubin regarding her relationship with the defendant, her former boss at GE Energy. Rubin’s line of questioning often mirrored that of prosecutor Don Geary, who grilled Sneiderman for nearly three hours Tuesday.
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