48 Hours Exclusive: Murder suspect Andrea Sneiderman's friends proclaim her innocence
(CBS) Today in an Atlanta courtroom, Andrea Sneiderman appeared for a hearing regarding charges that she arranged the November 2010 murder of her husband, Rusty Sneiderman.
Andrea, her lawyers and the prosecutors have been ordered by the judge not to speak to reporters. But her friends have not been gagged, and they were eager to speak out on her behalf.
48 Hours recently sat down with a large group of friends (several of whom were also very close to her slain husband) to discuss the case. One of Andrea's friends was so eager to talk to us that he flew from Los Angeles to Atlanta and back on the same day - at his own expense - to be part of the group interview.
Andrea's friends do not believe she was involved in her husband's murder. Rusty was gunned down in the parking lot of an upscale suburban Atlanta daycare center where he had just dropped off the couple's two-year-old son.
In March 2012, Andrea's boss at General Electric, Hemy Neuman, was convicted of actually shooting Russell Sneiderman. The jury found Neuman guilty but mentally ill, after he said he heard voices that were urging him to murder Rusty.
At Neuman's trial, Andrea took the stand as a prosecution witness and, by most accounts, emerged looking like an evasive, cold woman. Now, she is facing trial herself, for her alleged involvement in the murder of husband. Prosecutors believe Andrea pushed and manipulated Hemy Neuman into committing the murder.
Andrea has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her and denies any involvement in her husband's death. Her trial is scheduled to begin July 29.
Here is part of that conversation with her friend and family. More of it will be seen in a planned future edition of 48 Hours that will include more exclusive information about the case.
Video credits: Producer: Michelle Feuer; Associate Producer: Ian Margol; Camera: Dale West and Roger Herr
Complete coverage of the Andrea Sneiderman case on Crimesider
