Transcript mentions drug, not baby

Prosecutors release parts of a secretly recorded conversation between the parents of missing 5-month-old Sabrina Aisenberg.

By LARRY DOUGHERTY

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 6, 2000

TAMPA -- Federal prosecutors repeated their claim Wednesday that Steven Aisenberg admitted to cocaine use in a secret recording investigators made after the disappearance of his 5-month-old daughter, Sabrina.

Prosecutors released a short transcript they said quotes Steven Aisenberg and his wife, Marlene, as they prepared for dinner one night in January 1998, two months after reporting Sabrina's disappearance.

The transcript quotes Marlene Aisenberg saying, "Hon, help me set the table."

"I wish I hadn't harmed her," Steven Aisenberg replies.

"I know," Marlene Aisenberg says.

"That's the cocaine," Steven Aisenberg says.

The transcript excerpt makes no reference to Sabrina by name. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment Wednesday.

Prosecutors released the excerpts Wednesday in response to a judge's order that they show defense lawyers they had the cocaine comment on tape. Defense attorneys have said they could not find the cocaine reference on more than 200 tapes, some of which were inaudible in places.

The excerpt differs from a prosecutor's account to a federal judge when the Aisenbergs were charged with lying to investigators about their child's disappearance.

In September, federal prosecutor Rachelle DesVaux Bedke told a judge that Steven Aisenberg had said, "I wished I hadn't harmed her. It was the cocaine." She made no mention of any words by Marlene Aisenberg, and the indictment did not include the alleged cocaine comment.

On Wednesday, the Aisenbergs' attorneys said they expected to reply soon in writing to the government's latest statement.

Barry Cohen, one of the attorneys, said he had listened to the tape. He wouldn't say what he thinks Steven Aisenberg is saying, but only repeated what the defense lawyers have said in previous court filings: There is no comment about cocaine on the tapes.

The cocaine allegation was a sidelight to the federal charges that the Aisenbergs lied to police. The couple had told investigators it appeared someone had crept into their Brandon home one night in November 1997 and snatched Sabrina. The child has never been found.

Soon after her disappearance, police planted listening devices in the home and recorded the couple talking. Those tapes were the basis for the federal indictment charging the Aisenbergs with lying.

The Aisenbergs deny wrongdoing and are out on bail awaiting trial.

The excerpts released Wednesday had several exchanges between the couple, although it is difficult to follow the conversation. A few moments after the alleged cocaine comment, according to the transcript, the couple mention Cohen:

Mrs. Aisenberg says, "We have so many friends that could get us evidence. Hon, wouldn't anything be better than this? (Inaudible) You think with this. You know."

"Scary," Steven Aisenberg says.

"Huh?" Marlene says. "(Inaudible) It's unbelievable. Hon, Barry and I can't get anywhere."

"You're not going to be up to the test," Steven says.

"I just can't take the rap for this," Marlene says.

"Don't sweat it," Steven says.

"I can't do it anymore," Marlene says. "He wanted me to do that. Right."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.