Dr. James Kauffman, alleged co-plotter make court appearances in murder of his wife April Kauffman
The now white-haired disgraced Kauffman, 68, sat stoically in a "video court" room appearing over two screens to a courtroom filled with journalists and cameras. At one point, he stifled a small yawn. Mostly he sat with his eyes cast downward.
He answered the judge with "yes" several times, asked for the sound to be turned up, but otherwise said nothing. He will have a detention hearing on Tuesday.
Barbone said Kauffman had been moved to the
Kauffman is accused of masterminding a vast oxycontin distribution network run out of his
The two men were well known before the death of
Augello and two accomplices in the drug enterprise,
Augello is charged with murder in connection with
Chapman, who was described as romantically involved with Augello at some point, and Pagano, were two of the Pagan gang associates who allegedly made regular trips to see Kauffman at his medical practice and act as go-betweens for Augello and Kauffman. They are not charged in connection with the murder.
The three defendants were also ordered held after the brief hearing pending a detention hearing on Tuesday.
Augello and Pagano sat side by side. At one point before the hearing, Pagano made the shape of a gun with his fingers and held it up to Augello's head. Augello pushed him away playfully.
Kauffman has been in prison since June, after local and federal authorities executed a search warrant at his office, and he brandished a gun, saying, "I'm not going to jail for this."
At the time,
Tyner said Thursday that there did not appear to be any link to the Pagan drug network, but that Kauffman was involved with both.
"It just seems to suggest that
Barbone, Kauffman's attorney, told reporters outside the courtroom that his client continues to maintain his innocence.
"We say what we've been saying for the last five years, which is he's not guilty," Barbone said. "The doctor has maintained his innocence over the past five years. He's assisted in attempting to give information. What they in there was a plot to kill
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