There was no threat to Dr. James Kauffman inside the Atlantic County Justice Facility, the state’s key witness said Friday.
Andrew Glick was on the stand less than a half-hour as the defense’s cross-examination of him wrapped up in the case against Ferdinand Augello.
Augello is accused of setting up the May 10, 2012, killing of April Kauffman at the urging of her husband, Augello’s alleged partner in a drug ring.
In addition to charges of murder and racketeering, Augello is also accused of attempted murder, after he allegedly planned to kill the doctor inside the Atlantic County Justice Facility to make sure he didn’t finger him in the case.
But Glick said the plan to kill the doctor was him “flying by the seat of my pants.”
Glick had several meets with Augello after turning state’s witness. At one, Augello wrote that the doctor would “be dead in two days” on a piece of paper that he then crumpled up, Glick testified.
The investigators handling him then suggested Glick pursue that some more.
What Glick did was concoct a story that included trying to sneak fentanyl into the jail to poison the doctor’s food. It also included discussions of a Mexican drug cartel that would take care of it.
"I appreciate you doing this," Augello is heard saying in the last recorded conversation at his home Jan. 6.
"Dr. Kauffman was under no threat at the Atlantic County Justice Facility?” defense attorney Mary Linehan asked Glick on Friday.
"Correct," he responded.
The doctor had been in the jail since June 13, 2017, after he brandished a gun and threatened to kill himself when investigators arrived at his Egg Harbor Township practice with a search warrant.
He got along well with inmates there, one man who served time with him previously told BreakingAC.
Then, the murder and racketeering charges came Jan. 9. The charges against Augello also included attempted murder. “Doc” was moved out of the Atlantic County Justice Facility reportedly for his own safety when Augello moved in.
On Jan. 18, Kauffman appeared in court looking much older than he had on the outside. His hair was white and, for the first time, he shuffled into court, hunched over, looking old and broken.
Eight days later, he was found dead in his Hudson County jail cell, a suicide note meant for his new wife and attorneys by his side.
Augello has insisted the doctor was never in danger in the jail.
Glick’s more than four days on the stand ended with discussions that it likely wasn’t.
Trial will resume Monday with the defendant’s former wife, Beverly Augello.
She pleaded guilty to a drug charge in the case. She was allegedly the go-between for her former husband and the doctor. She also allegedly delivered the envelope containing the payment for April Kauffman’s killing.
