Wallace provides rare glimpse of Steinberg
Ch. 7’s Sarah Wallace has snagged an exclusive interview with Joel Steinberg – convicted in the 1987 beating death of his 6-year-old adopted daughter, Lisa, in a case that rocked the country. The interview airs today on Ch. 7’s 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts.
“I’m not sure why he picked right now [to give the interview] but he did,” said Wallace, who had been corresponding with Steinberg for about three years. “Nobody’s seen him for over 12 years.
“It’s certainly the most exhausting interview I’ve ever done,” Wallace said. “The best way to describe him is extremely combative, very defensive and, at times, very in-your-face.”
Wallace said Steinberg, who turns 61 on Friday, looks slimmer than he did when sentenced to 8 1/3-to-25 years for first-degree manslaughter. He’s serving his sentence in Southport Prison in Elmira and is due to be released in 2004.
“He points out that the medical records don’t clearly show that Lisa was a battered or abused child, that this was all a tabloid media frenzy,” said Wallace. “He would not – no matter how much I went at it different ways – directly say what happened that night. At one point he said, briefly, ‘I don’t know.’ “
Wallace said Steinberg refused to discuss anything to do with the physical condition of former companion Hedda Nussbaum, who was obviously battered when she was arrested in connection with Lisa’s death (she served no time behind bars).
“He did have a moment when I thought he might break down and cry, when I asked him if he thought he was guilty of anything,” Wallace said. “He said, ‘Well, when you love a child and you would give your life for a child . . . if anything, I didn’t realize that Lisa was as seriously ill as she was or I would have called for help sooner. Like any parent, I would have given my life for that child.’ “
Elliot gets tailor-made ‘Order’ from Wolf
Tonight’s season finale of “Law & Order” (10 p.m./Ch. 4) features a cameo by clothier Peter Elliot – who just celebrated his 25th anniversary in his Madison Avenue store.
Elliot snagged his role when “L&O” executive producer Dick Wolf was shopping at Elliot’s store. Elliot will appear in tonight’s episode, “The Patriot,” as a jury foreman.
This just in . . .
Kelly Ripa announces her second “Reading with Ripa” book club selection today on “Live with Regis & Kelly” (9 a.m./Ch. 7) . . . Tattooed rocker Tommy Lee tells tonight’s “Access Hollywood” (7:30 p.m./Ch. 4) that he’s talking to a “major network” about turning his life into a reality series a la “The Osbournes” . . . Maury Povich will be taking his staff to Toro (West 23rd.) tomorrow to celebrate the fourth season of “Maury Povich” – which finished third this year for all talk shows . . . On “Larry King Live”: Vice President Dick Cheney tonight, Liza Minnelli tomorrow (9 p.m./CNN) . . . Susan Lucci (“All My Children”) taking in Karen Akers’ cabaret show, “When Love Speaks To You,” at The Algonquin.