The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office has released new footage of a New Jersey doctor’s standoff and ultimate surrender with law enforcement officials last summer.
James Kauffman is accused of running an illegal prescription opioid drug ring with a motorcycle gang and had a member hire someone to kill his wife after she threatened to expose the scheme while trying to force him to agree to a divorce.
Prosecutors say the drug empire lasted until June, when Kauffman was arrested on weapons charges at his Egg Harbor Township office.
A video was previously released showing Kauffman’s dramatic standoff with law enforcement officials in June, during which he threatened to commit suicide when they showed up with a warrant. He also told them: ‘I’m not going to jail for this.’
Now the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office has released more footage of Kauffman’s standoff and ultimate surrender in order to be transparent.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office has now released footage of the aftermath of Kauffman’s dramatic standoff with police last summer
Kauffman surrendered to Atlantic County and FBI officials after threatening suicide and yelling: ‘I’m not going to jail for this’
Kauffman was charged this month with murder in connection to the 2012 killing of his wife, April Kauffman, a radio host.
The new footage shows Kauffman being cooperative with investigators, one of whom was with the FBI, as they ask him about his possessions and lead him to an ambulance.
Kauffman is told that he will have to go to the hospital for an evaluation since he threatened suicide.
James Kauffman (pictured) was charged in the May 2012 shooting death of radio host April Kauffman
‘I’m really fine. Where are we going? Why are we going to the hospital? I’m fine,’ Kauffman can be heard saying in the video, which was taken by an officer’s body cam.
An officer explains that he has to be checked out because he spoke of killing himself, to which he replies: ‘Oh, cut me a break – I’m not nuts.’
He also told officials that he ‘didn’t appreciate being handcuffed’, and he told them that he had a legally registered gun inside.
Additionally, Kauffman revealed the code for his cell phone, information on how to access the code to get into his home and the location of the keys to his safe.
He calmly asked about when he would get his phone back, saying: ‘Will I get it back? I have all my information on it. All my contacts and everything is on that phone. My whole life is on that.’
Kauffman also inquires about getting his car back in the video; an official replies, saying: ‘We’ll see how it goes.’
He draws back in surprise when an officer lets him know that they are investigating allegations of medical fraud.
Kauffman has long maintained his innocence and denies any involvement in his wife’s death, his attorney Ed Jacobs told Philly.com.
Prosecutors said Kaufmann killed April (pictured) after she learned about his illegal activity and tried to get him to agree to a divorce
Pictured is the casket of April Kauffman being carried from Beth El Synagogue, in Margate, NJ, after her funeral service in May 2012