UPDATE April 20, 2011
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| Lebovitz with his brother The Nikolsburger Rebbi smiling |
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| Lebovitz "Kamarnar Rebbi" at Home for Pesach |
For those who are new to this case, here read the history:
But things got complicated because Samuel Kellner, frustrated that victims were not coming forward to testify against Lebovits, (a man even the roaches on the streets of Boro Park knew was molesting hundreds of children) went ahead and bribed two witnesses to testify against this Menuval. But if you were at trial you would have known that the jury did not convict Lebovits on the basis of these two witnesses, they convicted him on the testimony of a third witness that wasn't bribed. Hopefully the Appellate Court will uphold the conviction :
Read from the Daily News Report:
Prosecutors stood by a Brooklyn rabbi's child-molestation conviction Wednesday, even as they charged a Hasidic man with shaking down his family and bribing someone to make false accusations.
Baruch Lebovits, 60, received a sentence of 10 2/3 to 32 years in prison a year ago, based on the testimony of a 22-year-old man who said the rabbi sexually abused when he was 16.
The trial and stiff penalty sent shockwaves through Borough Park's tight-knit Jewish community.
Baruch Lebovits, 60, received a sentence of 10 2/3 to 32 years in prison a year ago, based on the testimony of a 22-year-old man who said the rabbi sexually abused when he was 16.
The trial and stiff penalty sent shockwaves through Borough Park's tight-knit Jewish community.
But Samuel Kellner, 49, who brought the victim to prosecutors' attention, was charged with paying another man $10,000 to accuse Lebovits of abuse.
Kellner was also charged with trying to blackmail Lebovits' family out of $400,000 to make the cases disappear.
Now read an interview: A Private Investigator and Failed Messiah
Joe Levine Interview: Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Joe Levine Interview: Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
I spoke with Joe Levine of TOT Investigations this morning about the Baruch Lebovits case.
Last year, Lebovits was convicted of child sexual abuse and sentenced to 10 2/3 to 32 years in prison.
Tuesday, the Brooklyn DA Joe Hynes ordered the arrest of Rabbi Samuel Kellner for allegedly bribing a witness to testify against Lebovits and for trying to extort $400,000 from Lebovits’ family.
Hynes pointed out that the bribed witness did not testify against Lebovits at trial, and Hynes’ office strongly opposed releasing Lebovits on bail pending appeal. Even so, yesterday a judge granted Lebovits $250,000 bail.
Levine worked on the Lebovits case for Lebovits’ family, documenting Kellner’s extortion and bribery. He told me that contrary to other media media reports, as of 10 am EST this morning, Lebovits was still in jail, awaiting the details of his release and electronic monitoring, which Lebovits must pay for, to be completed.
“Lebovits is not a tzaddik,” Levine said. "I think he is a child molester. Whether he deserves 5 years [in prison] or 32 years [in prison] is a different story…People think I’m on his side, but I’m not…I want people to know I’m against child abuse and I fight child abuse and crime.” But that includes fighting extortion and witness tampering, which are also crimes.
"I want people to know that if there is abuse, they should call the police–not rabbis, not [the Brooklyn DA's Jewish liaison] Henna White," Levine said.
Last year, Lebovits was convicted of child sexual abuse and sentenced to 10 2/3 to 32 years in prison.
Tuesday, the Brooklyn DA Joe Hynes ordered the arrest of Rabbi Samuel Kellner for allegedly bribing a witness to testify against Lebovits and for trying to extort $400,000 from Lebovits’ family.
Hynes pointed out that the bribed witness did not testify against Lebovits at trial, and Hynes’ office strongly opposed releasing Lebovits on bail pending appeal. Even so, yesterday a judge granted Lebovits $250,000 bail.
Levine worked on the Lebovits case for Lebovits’ family, documenting Kellner’s extortion and bribery. He told me that contrary to other media media reports, as of 10 am EST this morning, Lebovits was still in jail, awaiting the details of his release and electronic monitoring, which Lebovits must pay for, to be completed.
“Lebovits is not a tzaddik,” Levine said. "I think he is a child molester. Whether he deserves 5 years [in prison] or 32 years [in prison] is a different story…People think I’m on his side, but I’m not…I want people to know I’m against child abuse and I fight child abuse and crime.” But that includes fighting extortion and witness tampering, which are also crimes.
"I want people to know that if there is abuse, they should call the police–not rabbis, not [the Brooklyn DA's Jewish liaison] Henna White," Levine said.
Levine noted that he’s seen a large uptick in families of abuse victims seeking his help, which he interprets as a greater willingness in the haredi community to acknowledge and fight sexual abuse and domestic violence.
“It’s changing bit by bit,” Levine said. “but it will take time.”
“It’s changing bit by bit,” Levine said. “but it will take time.”
Meanwhile Rabbi Samuel Kellner gets arrested for allegedly bribing those two witnesses
See an analysis from Frum Follies
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