Attorneys Say Kletzky Murder Confession "Coerced," Levi Aron "Insane"
Defense attorneys for a New York City man charged with abducting, killing and dismembering an 8-year-old boy say his confession was coerced and that Levi Aron is "insane." "My opinion is you'll get him to admit he shot Kennedy if you spent enough time with him," Aron's lawyer said.
Levi Aron
Defense: Confession in NY boy's killing coerced
NEW YORK (AP) — Defense attorneys for a New York City man charged with abducting, killing and dismembering an 8-year-old boy say his confession was coerced.
At a hearing Monday, they said authorities told Levi Aron what to write down. They say he is not sane enough to be aware of his actions.
Aron has pleaded not guilty in the death of Leiby Kletzy (LY'-bee KLEHT'-skee).
Attorney Howard Greenberg says they intend to prove their client is not guilty by reason of insanity.
Leiby went missing July 11 while walking home from day camp. Police say the boy's severed feet were found in the freezer at Aron's apartment.
Prosecutors say the boy was killed after he met Aron on the street and asked for help.
The New York Post adds:
B'klyn man who allegedly killed Leiby Kletzky is insane, defense argues
WILLIAM J. GORTA • New York Post
He's insane -- at least that's what his lawyer says.
The lawyer for the Brooklyn man accused of allegedly killing little Leiby Kletzky said today that he will pursue an "insanity defense" when his client goes to trial.
Levi Aron has been ruled fit to stand trial for Kletzky's murder this past July, but defense lawyer Howard Greenberg said his client is insane.
"Anyone who thirsts for Levi Aron's blood can take solace that [if found guilty] he'll spend the rest of his life in an asylum -- never to see the light of day," Greenberg said outside Brooklyn Supreme Court.
Aron, 35, appeared in court today through a video conference as both the prosecution and defense filed a series of motions before Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog.
Aron, who sat in a chair, did not move or say a word throughout the brief hearing, appearing catatonic.
"My opinion is you'll get him to admit he shot Kennedy if you spent enough time with him," Greenberg said.
Aron has pleaded not guilty to murder and kidnapping charges.
Greenberg said the case against Levi is "easy."
"He's either evil or crazy," he added.
Greenberg also said that "statements attributed to [Aron] will come to bite the DA on the tuches."
But State Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) called the insanity claim "outrageous."
"This guy knew what he was doing," Hikind said of Aron's involvement in Kletzky's murder.
Kletzky, 8, got lost walking to meet his parents in the Hasidic Jewish enclave of Borough Park when he was allegedly picked up by Aron.
The creep said he had picked up Leiby on July 11 after the helpless boy asked him for directions to a Judaica bookstore, according to prosecutors.
Aron offered him a ride, but "on the way, he changed his mind," the fiend said, according to records.
The pair wound up at the wedding of Aron's cousin in Rockland County before heading back to Brooklyn.
"I brought him to my house, thinking I'd bring him to his house the next day," Aron said, according to the DA.
Leiby watched TV and then fell asleep, and was still asleep when Aron woke in the morning and had to go to work, the confession said.
"I woke him, and told him I'll bring him to his house when I get back," Aron said.
Instead, the cowardly creep panicked at the wide scope of the search, and decided he had to kill Leiby -- after making him a tuna sandwich -- and then chopping him up. Body parts and bloody knives were found inside Aron's apartment.
"I understand this may be wrong, and I'm sorry for the hurt I caused," the confession concluded.
The alleged confession leaves out at least one horrifying detail: the Medical Examiner's Office concluded that Leiby had been heavily drugged, having been forced to swallow "an overdose of muscle relaxant, antipsychotics, pain medication and acetaminophen" before he was smothered.
What else can they do?
They have all the physical evidence in the world, and he confessed with the police scrupulously following the rules because of the publicity
Posted by: anuran | October 24, 2011 at 12:18 PM
So he's got a new or additional lawyer who's Jewsh?
Posted by: dh | October 24, 2011 at 02:52 PM
Greenberg is a scumbag piece of garbage. "Thirsts for Levi Aarons' blood". Yessir big liberal above it all. Mr. Righteous. You just blew your case you maniac.
Posted by: Adams | October 24, 2011 at 06:36 PM
creep greenberg liberal cesspool, he thinks he is endearing himself to a potential jury, the obnoxious imbecile, what next oh get out of asylum in 10 years good one.
Posted by: Adams | October 24, 2011 at 06:42 PM
I notice Rupert Murdoch's employee at the New York Post, William J. Gorta, referred to Aron in his article twice as a "creep".
WPIX-TV did a better job yesterday in this video report:
http://www.wpix.com/news/wpix-alleged-killer-of-missing-bklyn-boy-coerced,0,3166913.story
Just a few hours ago, two of Aron's attorney's were on a nearly 6 minute interview on Murdoch's WNYW-TV:
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/aron-attorneys-defend-insanity-defense-20111025
These reports capture the prevailing view in New York right now - people are outraged by attorneys mounting an insanity defense. Worse, it causes much emotional stress on the family and friends of the victim of the crime. These sleazeball lawyers should at least tone down their rhetoric during their fifteen minutes of fame in front of the TV cameras, such as Greenberg calling his client "crazy". I remember the trial judge at the Colin Ferguson trial on Long Island telling attorney William Kunstler to lay off
calling the defendent crazy until after Kunstler received his medical degree.
Posted by: FirstGenerationBavarianAmerican | October 25, 2011 at 08:28 AM