The Nation - News from Dec. 6, 1988

Joel Steinberg, apparently in response to damaging testimony in New York by his former lover about the violence that marked their lives, sought to switch his plea to innocent by reason of insanity in the death of the 6-year-old girl they raised. The surprise request was tentatively denied, but the judge said Steinberg’s attorneys could resubmit it. The request followed Hedda Nussbaum’s emotional testimony last week about Lisa Steinberg’s final hours. Nussbaum said Steinberg admitted to her that he had “knocked Lisa down.” Continuing her testimony when the trial resumed after the weekend, Nussbaum said for the first time that she had seen Steinberg physically abuse Lisa.