Lied for Lover, Child-Death Witness Says

Hedda Nussbaum testified Tuesday in her last day on the witness stand that she had lied to police officers about the bruises on Lisa Steinberg’s body “to create a cover story” for her lover, accused child-killer Joel Steinberg.

Under cross-examination aimed at pointing out memory lapses and inconsistencies in her accounts of the night of Nov. 1, 1987, Nussbaum said that to protect Steinberg she first told policemen that Lisa had been struck hard by a schoolmate.

In her seven days on the witness stand, Nussbaum has provided some of the most damaging testimony against the disbarred lawyer, who is accused of beating to death the child he and Nussbaum raised.

Steinberg, 47, is charged with second-degree murder and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He is also accused of, but not charged with, beating Nussbaum throughout their 12-year relationship.

Nussbaum was arrested with Steinberg, but charges against her were dropped after prosecutors said she was too psychologically and physically brutalized to hurt Lisa or try to save her.

Accused of Drug Abuse

Nussbaum was attacked under cross-examination as a drug abuser who freebased cocaine with Steinberg as Lisa lay dying on the floor of their apartment. Under questioning Tuesday, prosecutors sought to restore her credibility by getting her to testify that she freebased cocaine only when she was with Steinberg.

Nussbaum said also that she felt “horrible” that she had waited more than 11 hours for Steinberg’s permission to call for help. Prosecutors have said that immediate medical attention could have saved the girl.

At the conclusion of her re-direct testimony, Steinberg’s lawyer, Ira London, asked one final question: “Ms. Nussbaum, who do you feel terrible for--Hedda or Lisa?”

“For both,” she replied.

During earlier cross-examination, Nussbaum said she had first told police officers that a classmate hit 6-year-old Lisa “very hard” on the child’s forehead. She testified also that she had told officers that Lisa frequently fell down when roller-skating.

However, Nussbaum, 46, then testified that Lisa did not fall often during roller-skating.

She testified that Lisa, several days before her death, complained that a schoolmate had struck her. However, Nussbaum testified that, when she checked Lisa’s forehead for bruises, she found nothing.

“I was trying to create a cover story at the time for what Joel had done to Lisa,” said Nussbaum, whose face is still disfigured from years of beatings, allegedly by Steinberg. She has been living at a Westchester psychiatric hospital since March.

“Did you see Joel hit Lisa on the head?” London asked.

“No,” Nussbaum replied.

“So, who were you covering up for--Joel or you?”

“Well, any of the bruises that were on her body I was assuming came from Joel.”

Nussbaum has testified that Steinberg told her he knocked Lisa down, then handed her the unconscious child before leaving their Greenwich Village apartment to dine with a friend. She said she waited 11 hours for Steinberg’s permission to call for help.