A DeKalb County grand jury has subpoenaed Channel 2 Action News for the entirety of Andrea Sneiderman's testimony given during the recent trial of her husband's killer, signaling criminal charges against the victim's widow could be imminent.
Following his successful prosecution of Hemy Neuman -- sentenced to life in prison for the fatal shooting of Rusty Sneiderman outside a Dunwoody day care -- DeKalb District Attorney Robert James told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he had "strong beliefs" the businessman's widow was involved in her husband's death.
"It is something we have under review right now," James said in a post-trial press conference March 15. "Stay tuned."
Channel 2 said it would comply with the subpoena.
The subpoena by the grand jury -- convened to determine whether a criminal indictment is warranted -- reinforces the importance of the nearly two days of testimony from Andrea Sneiderman, who denied allegations she was romantically involved with Neuman, her former supervisor at GE Energy.
"There were things she said on the stand ... it was the first time she had ever said those things," said DeKalb Chief Deputy District Attorney Don Geary.
For instance, prosecutors now know when the woman first learned her husband had been shot.
According to the widow's testimony, the news was broken to her by an emergency room doctor at Atlanta Medical Center the day of the shooting, Nov. 18, 2010. The mother of two said she went the hospital, accompanied by her parents, after she had gone to the shooting scene, Dunwoody Prep, and to the home she shared with Rusty.
The significance of that disclosure surfaced later in the trial when the widow's former best friend Shayna Citron and father-in-law Don Sneiderman testified that Andrea called and told them Rusty had been shot -- before she had arrived at the hospital.
Her attorney at the time, Seth Kirschenbaum, said his client testified to "help the prosecution" secure a guilty verdict against Neuman. Andrea Sneiderman has denied any involvement in her husband's shooting.
"Mrs. Sneiderman knew she was going to get beaten up on the witness stand," Kirschenbaum told the AJC in a late February interview.
Andrea Sneiderman's new attorney, Jennifer Little, declined comment on the latest developments.
Prosecutors also are tight-lipped, though they made it clear following the trial that the widow might face charges.
"When Mr. Geary and I walk into a courtroom with a case, he and I are satisfied that we have a good shot at proving that case beyond a reasonable doubt," James said.
Neuman's attorneys told the AJC last month they believe the district attorney should seek Andrea Sneiderman's indictment.
"I believe she needs to be prosecuted for murder," defense lawyer Doug Peters said. "It's documented and supported by the evidence."
Rusty Sneiderman's family has also indicated they suspect their daughter-in-law knew more than she told them about her husband's death.
"She knew. She knew in advance. She knew then what was going on," Don Sneiderman told the AJC. "How she knew or what she knew, I don't know."
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