By Dailymail. A renowned German violinist says he forced his way into a tourist's Manhattan hotel room and choked her after he was drugged by a transsexual prostitute. A lawyer for Stefan Arzberger, 42, made the claim in Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday as the musician was charged with attempted murder for attacking the year-old stranger. Arzberger, who is the lead violinist for the world-famous Leipzig string quartet, pleaded not guilty to the charges as his wife, Doreen, supported him in court.
As he stayed at the Hudson Hotel in March, security cameras captured him walking to his room with a woman - not his wife - just before 4am, the New York Post reported. Accused: Stefan Arzberger, 42, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder in court on Thursday, where he was supported by his wife Doreen, right.
He claims he was drugged before he choked a woman. She can later be seen leaving the room with his iPad, his lawyer Richard Levitt told the court. He insisted that his client had been slipped a date-rape drug while drinking with the prostitute at the bar because 'there's no other explanation' for what happened next.
About three hours later, Arzberger stumbled out of his room completely naked and started knocking on guests' doors, the prosecutor said. After a year-old woman from North Carolina opened her door, he forced his way into her room then began choking her with so much pressure that the blood vessels in her eyes popped. A hotel worker who heard her screams pulled the deranged Arzberger off her.
But prosecutors said they aren't buying Arzberger's story and say the musician tested negative for two date-rape drugs. At Thursday's hearing, he asked for his passport to be returned to that he can perform in an upcoming tour across Europe, Asia and South America. The judge said he would decide on the matter on Friday, the Post reported. The quartet had been quick to defend their leading member after his arrest.
