ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Jacob Klein has been found guilty of second-degree murder after a trial. Klein represented himself in court, defending himself from accusations he killed Philip Rabadi in April 2022, just months after Rabadi married Klein’s former girlfriend, Elana Radin.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 8 at 9:30 a.m. The judge ordered a pre-sentencing investigation report prior to sentencing. Klein is remanded until sentencing.
Klein defended himself in this case. Mark Bederow, his legal advisor, said it’s far from an ideal scenario.
“It’s a terrible experience,” Bederow said. “I’ve been doing this for 25 years, along with co-counsel who has been doing it for more than 40, and to have to sit there and in essence, do nothing other than whisper in a clients ear from a lawyers perspective is frustrating.”
“We are always very mindful with how we interact with that person because they do have a right to represent themselves,” Jessica Blain-Lewis, Assistant District Attorney, said. “So we treat them as we would any attorney who would be handling the matter as well.”
Closing statements finished on October 3 and the jury started deliberating immediately. The previous day, Radin had taken the stand. Prosecutors asked her about the day Rabadi was killed. Klein cross-examined Radin and asked questions about how often they had been in contact since they had broken up. She said a few times and she had blocked him on several platforms.
The trial has been full of twists and turns, evidence revealed that Klein had paid White Pages for a background check on both Radin and Rabadi. This was just before Klein sent an email to Radin that said he planned on giving back the dog the two shared and then ending his own life. The prosecution traced his movements by the minute with overwhelming email and cell phone records, and surveillance video that shows his exact moments during Rabadi’s final days.
“There is a significant amount of video,” Blain-Lewis said. “You take more than you need because it’s better to have it than not have it, so it’s a very lengthy process to go through all of the video we have incredible investigators working on this case making sure every video was sorted through, putting it together was truly a team effort.”
On September 26, Klein would motion twice for a mistrial based on video testimony. Both motions were denied.
On September 27, video was shown of police arresting Klein on the Virginia and Tennessee border. That footage revealed Klein told police he knew why they were there and that he was going to turn himself in.
The victim, Philip Rabadi, worked at St. Peter’s Hospital as a Surgical PA. In honor of his memory, the family has created The Phil With Love Foundation. Albany Med has also started a Legacy Fund to help students at Rabadi’s Alma Mater at Albany Medical College.
The families of Elana Radin and Philip Rabadi released a joint statement after the verdict:
“At this difficult time, we want to express our deep gratitude to our family, friends and the community for the unwavering support and love we have received since our beloved Philip Rabadi was tragically taken from us.
You have all shown us the power of love, compassion and solidarity and we are deeply moved by the outpouring of love and care that surrounds us.
Philip was not only an integral part of our family; he was a shining star in the community.
His dedication to making this world a better place and his commitment to helping others has left an indelible mark on all our hearts.
To honor Philip’s memory and to continue to honor and spread love, kindness and compassion, we have established the Phil With Love Foundation. The Foundation will work tirelessly to ensure that Philip’s legacy and light continues to shine in the lives of those who will follow in his footsteps and in the lives of those in need.
All together we will ensure that Philip’s legacy lives on and continues to inspire positive and loving change in our greater community.
please visit philwithlove.org to honor Philip to help us support our local community.”
