Lawyer: Guido Amsel accused me of taking pay-off to drop him as client

A former lawyer for accused mail bomber Guido Amsel testified Monday that Amsel accused her of taking a pay-off from his ex-wife in exchange for dropping him as a client.

Sarah McEachern represented Guido Amsel in a civil dispute involving his ex-wife Iris, but at a Sept. 23, 2014 court hearing asked for and was granted leave to withdraw from the case.

McEachern said she was in a courthouse hallway following the hearing when Amsel asked if his ex-wife or lawyer had "paid her."

"I said 'No Guido, I've just been trying to help you ... but I can't help you anymore,'" McEachern said. "He said 'This is going to all come out in the end.'"

McEachern said Amsel appeared agitated and was "very direct."

McEachern said she waited for a friend to accompany her out of the courthouse, fearing Amsel might be waiting to confront her outside.

McEachern said she contacted police July 5, 2015 after learning a bomb package had been delivered to Iris Amsel's Washington Avenue workplace.

"I had concerns for my safety and the safety of others," McEachern said.

Court heard police later detonated a mail bomb delivered to McEachern's former Stradbrook Avenue law office.

A bomb delivered to Iris Amsel's lawyer Maria Mitousis two days earlier detonated in her hand, seriously injuring her.

Amsel, 51, is charged with five counts of attempted murder and several explosives-related offences.

The trial resumes Dec. 4.