Hirschfeld Guilty in Criminal Solicitation of Hit Man

NEW YORK — Abe Hirschfeld, the real estate developer and frequent political candidate, was convicted Friday in his second trial on charges of trying to hire a hit man to kill his business partner.

Hirschfeld, 80, was found guilty of second-degree criminal solicitation for offering to pay $150,000 to have Stanley Stahl, his real estate partner of 40 years, killed in 1997 because of a business dispute.

The judge allowed Hirschfeld, whose first trial ended in a deadlocked jury, to remain free on $1-million bail. He faces up to seven years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 1.

Hirschfeld, a former owner of the New York Post who is running for the Senate, did not comment as he left the courthouse. He still faces a second trial on state and city tax evasion charges July 31. His first trial in the tax case also ended in a deadlocked jury.

Assistant Dist. Atty. Gilda Mariani said Hirschfeld in fall 1996 gave Joseph Veltri, one of his building contractors, $75,000 as a down payment to a hit man.

Veltri testified that he delivered the money, but called police when a second envelope Hirschfeld gave him contained information about Stahl.

Stahl was told of the alleged plot and was not harmed, but he did start riding in a bulletproof car and wearing a bulletproof coat. He died of natural causes in 1999.

Hirschfeld recently was released from a 90-day jail stay for contempt of court. The judge ordered him jailed because he violated a court ban on discussing the trial with the media.

He also is being sued by Paula Corbin Jones, whom Hirschfeld offered $1 million to drop her sexual harassment lawsuit against President Clinton.