One of the longest divorce cases in New York state history has Joseph Yerushalmi, of Great Neck, without many options.

Yerushalmi, 74, called a news conference Wednesday to discuss the 12-year effort to end his 43-year marriage to his wife, Malka. He says the proceedings have caused him to go broke. Yerushalmi lives in an eight-bedroom house in Great Neck that he refers to as "a prison."

He says the home is in trust for his grandchildren, and without his estranged wife's permission, he can't sell it.

An attorney for Malka Yerushalmi told News 12 that the proceedings have been a "vendetta" carried out by her estranged husband and that he is the one who has been dragging it out to hide his assets.

"The one thing she wants is her freedom," said her attorney. "This has been harder on her over all these years of litigation. She would like very much for this divorce action to be over."

After describing their divorce battle as a "war of the roses," News 12 asked Joseph Yerushalmi if he still loves his estranged wife.

"Who? Malka? I don't know. I didn't think about it. Love, hate, because it's just illogical," he said.

The latest trial date was held in February. Their next court date is in May.