A psychiatrist from New York City was given an 11-year prison term for her role in a 2012 scheme to kill her ex-boyfriend with a sledgehammer, which included coercing the victim’s bipolar adolescent cousin.
Pamela Buchbinder, 52, who has a son with Dr. Michael Weiss, admitted last month to planning his murder and was sentenced this week in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Buchbinder attempted to withdraw her guilty plea before her sentence was announced, claiming that she had been maced by guards, that she had not taken her medication that day, and that she had only confessed because she had been high from secondhand marijuana exposure while on the prison bus to the courthouse.
Buchbinder’s request was denied by Justice Thomas Farber because, according to the New York Post, she “looked totally well and fully lucid” the day she entered her plea.
Buchbinder, who was originally detained in 2017, accepted a plea agreement in September for a first-degree attempted assault and burglary, sparing her a murder charge that could have resulted in a 25-year prison sentence.
Weiss spoke in court on Tuesday, saying that although he was relieved to escape a trial, he worried for his safety going forward after Buchbinder was eventually released.
Despite the repercussions or any harm she may have already done, he said, “I continue to feel she would do all in her power to hurt me.”
“I am happy to be standing here today since I survived the assault. I’m happy that a plea agreement will conclude this case without a trial.
Buchbinder’s cousin Jacob Nolan, whom the prosecution claims she coerced into carrying out the assault on her behalf, battered Weiss with a 10-pound sledgehammer and stabbed her at least eight times in the chest and back.
Video from the evening before the incident on November 12, 2012, shows Buchbinder and Nolan purchasing a sledgehammer at a Manhattan Home Depot.
Prosecutors claim that she allegedly gave Nolan the knife used in the crime and sketched a diagram showing how to get into Weiss’ house.
Later, in 2016, Nolan revealed to 48 Hours that he was experiencing a mental breakdown at the time, adding, “I was in full-blown psychotic episode.” I had a lot of morphine in my system.
I firmly think that she intends to try again in the future, he said.
For attempted murder, Nolan received a nine-and-a-half year sentence in 2016.
According to the prosecution, after fighting with Weiss over her visiting privileges with their then-6-year-old son, for whom Weiss had just been granted custody, Buchbinder came up with the insane plan.
Just days before to the incident, Weiss had also named Buchbinder as the beneficiary of his $1.5 million life insurance policy at Buchbinder’s suggestion.
During Buchbinder’s sentence, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann said, “I believe it’s vital to set the record right to convey the truth about what truly transpired in this case and the profound wickedness of this crime.”
“The accused attempted to have Michael Weiss killed.” She had the power to manage the $1.5 million in life insurance that was in his son’s name. He said that she wanted exclusive custody.
Buchbinder admitted guilt, but in her short remarks during the sentence, she seemed to assert her innocence.
She apologized, “I am very sorry that we are all here today.” If Mr. Seidemann stated anything that was truthful, I missed it.