Disgraced former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik got a crash course on how to eat humble pie as he geared up to plead guilty today to federal corruption charges.
The Post has learned that lawyers for Kerik were so worried his bravado would derail his plea deal that they specifically instructed the former 9/11 hero to check his overblown ego at the courtroom door.
Kerik, 54, is poised to admit to at least one corruption charge and serve a prison term of about 2½ years. The guilty plea would resolve three federal cases, two in New York and one in Washington.
The decision whether or not to accept the plea falls to White Plains federal Judge Stephen Robinson, who recently became so furious at Kerik that he threw him behind bars for leaking confidential legal documents to the press.
Emotions were already running high yesterday, as Kerik told his wife, Hala Matli, 40, to stay away from the proceedings.
He and his lawyers fear any emotional outburst from her could cause him to crack, sources said. She was less than receptive.
The defense team also asked Kerik’s friends to help him keep his cool.
Kerik had been set to face his first trial on Monday for allegedly accepting free apartment renovations while he was correction commissioner in exchange for recommending a construction company for city contract.
His two other cases involve charges of hiding income from the IRS and lying to the feds while he was being considered to head the Department of Homeland Security.