New York Post reporter Reuven Fenton described a deeply unsettling seven-hour dinner with Joel Steinberg, the convicted killer of his adopted 6-year-old daughter, Lisa. During the 2017 encounter, meant to mark the 30th anniversary of the crime, Steinberg maintained his refusal to admit responsibility for Lisa's death, instead blaming doctors.
Fenton recounted the experience, noting his initial reluctance to undertake the interview. After serving 17 years for manslaughter, Steinberg, a disbarred lawyer, had emerged from a period of self-imposed exile in Harlem. Fenton suggested Steinberg might have envisioned a comeback, with the reporter playing a role in it.
The dinner, held at Sparks Steak House, was extravagant, with Steinberg ordering a lavish meal and drinks, all covered by The Post. The bill totaled nearly $1,700 in 2017 dollars. Throughout much of the evening, Steinberg spoke at length about his own perceived brilliance as a lawyer and the injustices he felt he had suffered. Fenton found himself tuning out the monologues, comparing the experience to being interrogated at a CIA black site.
Fenton noted the profound unpleasantness of Steinberg's personality, describing his toxicity as contagious and recalling the man's unnerving stare when Fenton failed to appear fully engaged. He drew parallels between his experience and the psychological torment Hedda Nussbaum, Steinberg's former companion, must have endured.
Towards the end of the long evening, after consuming alcohol, Steinberg finally spoke about Lisa. "The psychological part of it is I never accepted her death," he stated. "I thought she was still alive." He continued to deflect, asserting, "She died of pulling the plug." This continued refusal to acknowledge his role in his daughter's death, even after three decades, was noted by Fenton as significant.
The reporter's account highlights Steinberg's persistent self-centeredness, with every statement revolving around "I" and his perspective. Fenton concluded that despite obtaining what he considered journalistic "gold" in Steinberg's continued denial, the encounter left him with a sense of loss.
The case involved the fatal beating of 6-year-old Lisa Steinberg in their West Village apartment. Hedda Nussbaum, Steinberg's companion at the time, was also convicted in connection with the child's death.
