Bio

Joel Steinberg was born on May 25, 1941. He grew up in a Jewish family in Yonkers, New York. He attended New York University, where he studied law. After finishing his education, he became a criminal defense attorney.

Steinberg began his career focusing on various cases, including adoptions. He was known for being skilled in finding legal solutions for families looking to adopt children. In 1975, he met Hedda Nussbaum, who was working as an editor for children's books at Random House. The two developed a romantic relationship and started living together in New York City’s Greenwich Village in 1976.

Around 1981, under questionable legal circumstances, Steinberg and Nussbaum took in a young girl named Elizabeth, who they later referred to as Lisa. Although Steinberg was hired to help find adoptive parents for Lisa, he never completed the legal adoption process. Instead, he and Nussbaum raised Lisa in their home.

During their time together, Nussbaum and Steinberg created a lifestyle that became increasingly troubled. Friends and colleagues began to suspect Nussbaum was a victim of domestic abuse. They noticed her injuries but she often downplayed them, attributing them to various accidents. Despite this, those around her expressed concern over the signs of physical abuse.

In their Greenwich Village apartment, the couple also adopted another child named Mitchell, but similar to Lisa, he was never formally adopted. Their home life was complicated by substance abuse and controlling behaviors.

Steinberg previously served as a lieutenant in the Air Force, where he gained distinctions. However, by the time he was raising Lisa and Mitchell, much of his life began to unravel due to escalating personal issues.

Murder Story

On November 2, 1987, Joel Steinberg's adopted daughter, Lisa, was found unconscious in their New York City apartment. According to reports, Joel had struck Lisa on the head, rendering her unconscious. After the incident, Joel and his partner, Hedda Nussbaum, did not seek medical attention for Lisa. They waited several hours before calling 911, during which time Joel was reportedly using cocaine.

When emergency responders arrived, they found Lisa in critical condition. She was taken to St. Vincent Hospital but died on November 4, 1987, due to severe head injuries. Joel Steinberg was later arrested and charged with murder. The details of Lisa's injuries sparked intense media coverage and public outrage.

During the investigation, authorities also discovered that Mitchell, another child living with the couple, was found in neglectful conditions. Hedda Nussbaum, who had been in a troubled relationship with Joel and displayed signs of severe physical abuse herself, became a key witness in the case against him.

The trial centered on the events leading to Lisa’s death, with Hedda testifying about Joel's abusive behavior. The jury ultimately convicted Joel Steinberg of first-degree manslaughter instead of the more serious murder charge. He was sentenced to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison. Joel was denied parole on two occasions due to his lack of remorse for Lisa’s death.

After serving 16 years, Joel Steinberg was released from prison in 2004. His story, along with the tragic circumstances surrounding Lisa's death, left an indelible mark on public consciousness regarding child abuse and domestic violence.