This is tragic news. http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/cindy_adams/too_quiet_modest_to_be_big_cgjiZkoDgRwmUq9navAhRM
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local...e_for_the_underdogs_commits_suicide_at_6.html Goetz lawyer Darnay Hoffman, who 'was there for the underdogs', commits suicide at 63 BY RICH SCHAPIRO DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Wednesday, May 11th 2011, 4:00 AM Debra DiPeso for News Noted defense lawyer Darnay Hoffman, whose high-profile clients included subway vigilante Bernhard Goetz and infamous child-killer Joel Steinberg, committed suicide last week. He was 63. Hoffman stabbed himself in the heart May 2 inside the Manhattan home of his ex-wife, "Mayflower Madam" Sydney Biddle Barrows, authorities and friends said. Hoffman died at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell about 4:25 p.m, the city medical examiner's office said. In recent years, Hoffman was beset by financial and health woes, friends said. "At the end, you couldn't help but notice he had deteriorated quite a bit," said Chaunce Hayden, an editor at Steppin' Out magazine whom Hoffman successfully defended in a libel case this year. While Hoffman made headlines for defending Goetz and Steinberg, the self-styled "attorney of last resort" devoted most of his time to penniless clients outside of the spotlight, friends said. "He was there for the underdogs who couldn't afford to defend themselves," Hayden said. "He was an angel." His actress mother, Toni Darnay, appeared on Broadway and in several daytime TV series. His father, Bill Hoffman, was a playwright. Prior to taking up the law, Hoffman earned a master's degree in marketing and worked as a television producer.
OMG, stabbing yourself in the heart?? Is there a gorier, painful and more bloody way to go? How do they know it is suicide? Doesn't sound like suicide. Did he leave a note? RIP Darney. Another one gone.
Karen, I thought it sounded suspicious, too. It is very difficult to stab yourself in the heart. In order to push through the sternum, and muscle in the way, great force must me used, and the pain would probably stop you, regardless of whether you wanted it too. But, apparently he had made at least one other attempt in the past. It just seems like this particular method would have needed "help".
Most of us have posted our criticisms about Darnay but no matter what he truly did try and help the underdog. From JonBenet to that scuzz bucket Joel Steinberg he did his best. (Here is what I posted on WS) Actually spoke to Cyril Wecht about the topic of weird suicides. Here are some of the ways he listed people committed suicide, cases he actually worked on; -Ballpoint pen through the eye -Cutting off a breast (female) then stabbing through the chest -knife in the skull That's all I can remember but there were many more. Darnay must have been in so much pain that he felt this was his only choice and the only way he could go.
A person in great internal torment can have pain that is much greater than physical pain. I knew a woman who used to go into such deep bi-polar depressions, she would take cigarettes and burn her legs just to feel something and know she was still alive. She had burn scars all over her legs because she didn't just touch the cigarette to her skin, she held it there for a long time before she felt anything. Darnay's death is definitely a suicide. It has been confirmed through private sources.
Oh good grief, Tricia, this is a first for me reading these! Sorry to hear about Darnay Hoffman. Poor man must have been tormented.
Not news that I enjoyed finding out, but to me, none of it was a surprise, especially the manner that he choose to be his Grand Exit from this Life. RIP Darnay - You Will More than Be Remembered. RR
I'm shocked. Just shocked. I am so sorry he was in so much pain that he thought this was the only way to deal with it. RIP Darnay.
A MESSAGE FROM CHRIS WOLF I would like to say to FFJ that I really genuinely liked Darnay and, as I have told you before, that he really helped me a lot. Darnay was always fun and interesting to talk to. And he did a lot to encourage me and ease my fears of being framed for the murder of a child when he was effectively the only one in the world who was doing that for me. I wish I could have done something for him. I wish I would have kept in touch and that I would have known that I should try. I will miss him. -- Chris Wolf
Nice of Chris Wolf to take the time to send FFJ this message. Thank you, Chris! Thank you, Tricia! Elle