Lawyers Argue Over Sanity; Defendant's Father Waits

Father of admitted rapist says his son was like Seung Hui-Cho.

ByABC News
February 9, 2009, 6:28 PM

May 3, 2007 — -- The kindly elderly gentleman in the tweed jacket reading The New Yorker looked like a professor taking a break between classes.

But Alberto Braunstein's presence at New YorkState Supreme Court this morning was not one of leisure. Instead, Braunstein, who's in his 80s, was attending the trial of his son Peter, the ex-fashion writer accused of dressing up as a firefighter and brutally molesting a former colleague for 13 hours on Halloween night in 2005.

The defense has admitted to the sexual assault, and is focusing instead on trying to prove that Braunstein is mentally ill.

Braunstein's father fears for his son's life, saying that Peter, 43, hastried to commit suicide three times in jail since his arrest inDecember 2005.

"Jail has been his ruination," Alberto Braunstein toldABCNEWS.com. "He had such a bright future, but everything fell apartwhen all of this happened with Jane," he said, referring to Jane Larkworthy, the ex-girlfriend ofPeter Braunstein.

Alberto Braunstein believes that his son suffers from paranoid schizophrenia andcondemns the lack of treatment for the mentally ill, comparing hisson's situation to that of Virginia Tech killer Seung-Hui Cho. "Mentalillness is swept under the rug in this country," he said. "It costs$700 to $800 a day to keep someone in an institution and $89 a day to keepthem in jail. That's where the priorities are in this society."

The father, who has had a difficult relationship with his son, saidthat his life has also been ruined. "I thought I could retire inpeace, but my life has been turned around," said the father, who runs anart gallery in Manhattan. He said he has spent $200,000 for thelegal defense and medical treatment for his son, who he said is under sedation and taking the antidepressant drug Lithium. Alberto Braunstein said that he was recently forced to sell his apartment in Manhattan to help raise money.

"Here comes the district attorney with three shopping carts," blurted outthe father as the prosecutorial team moved toward thecourtroom laden with piles of evidence. "We know he did it, so why go through with all of this?"

Thursday morning, prosecutors called three witnesses, including John T. Turner, an executive at Cheaper Than Dirt, anInternet retailer, who testified that Peter Braunstein had purchased a double-shoulder holster, a 10 ¾ inch Ranger knife, black stainless steelhandcuffs, a 10-pack of nylon handcuffs, leg irons, a gas mask, a stungun and military-style goggles.

Turner also testified thatBraunstein attempted to purchase a lead-filled bulletproof vest, but he wasdenied that item because its sale is restricted in New York.