Weberman Juror Explains Why Jury Convicted

For the first time, a juror who convicted Rabbi Nechemya Weberman last month has spoken out, and his silence was broken to refute claims made by Weberman’s attorney and by many members of the Satmar hasidic community Weberman belongs to that it was antisemitism – not the law – that convicted Weberman on sexual abuse charges.

Rabbi Nechemya Weberman

Weberman Juror Explains Why Jury Convicted
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

For the first time, a juror who convicted Rabbi Nechemya Weberman last month has spoken out, and his silence was broken to refute claims made by Weberman’s attorney and by many members of the Satmar hasidic community Weberman belongs to that it was antisemitism – not the law – that convicted Weberman on sexual abuse charges.

"It wasn't religion, it wasn't their background, it wasn't revenge. It was a young girl and an old man alone in a room,” a 42-year-old male juror exclusively told Oren Yaniv of the NY Daily News. The man added that he did not view Weberman as “a monster” and said that he had no preconceptions about the Satmar hasidic community.

"We realized we couldn't make a flippant decision and ruin a man's life. It was, 'Oh boy, we have a serious job,’” the juror told the Daily News.

George Farkas, Weberman’s lead lawyer during the case, alleged after Weberman was convicted that hasidic Jews don’t have “the same shot with a jury as anyone else [would have].”

The juror told the Daily News that the jury believed the victim’s testimony, which he called “emotional.” She was on the stand for three days, mostly under cross examination by Farkas, approximately 13 hours of testimony in total.

Even so, the jury did not want to convict based on her testimony alone (although it could have done so under law).

"We needed something else," the juror said.

That additional evidence came from social worker Sara Fried, who testified that she diagnosed the girl with post traumatic stress disorder caused by years of sexual abuse.

"That's what clinched it. We took the vote and everyone was unanimous,” the juror said.

He also pointed out other evidence that also worked against Weberman, including multiple locks on doors in Weberman’s home, taking the girl on a long day trip upstate alone in his car, and housing female runaway teens in his office.

The jury took about five hours to convict Weberman, who faces as much as 117 years in prison for his crimes.

Weberman is scheduled to sentenced this month.

[Hat Tip: Seymour.]

Comments

[Low pop]

rubbish.

[R. Wisler]

How could it be anti-Semitism if both the plaintiff and the defendent were Jewish?

I invite all those Satmar chassidim who are dissatisified with the U.S. justice system to go back to Rumania or whatever goat-fucking backward peaant Eastern European country that spawned them and impose themselves on that backward society instead of ours.

[Luke]

Shmarya:

You used the "R" word. Counting the seconds until Yossi's rant. :) Luke.

[rebitzman]

How could it be anti-Semitism if both the plaintiff and the defendent were Jewish?

Because HE is more Jewish (by virtue of the fact) than SHE is.......obviously.

I (apparently like you) hate it when people randomly play the antisemitism card. There are way too many REAL situations where it needs to be played to dilute the argument with false claims such as this.

[Lubavitchers are Christians]

go back to Rumania or whatever goat-fucking backward peaant Eastern European country that spawned them

Posted by: R. Wisler | January 08, 2013 at 11:00 AM

Eastern Europeans were goat-fuckers? That's news to me. I thought Arabs were goat-fuckers.

[Billybob]

I invite all those Satmar chassidim who are dissatisified with the U.S. justice system to go back to Rumania or whatever goat-fucking backward peaant Eastern European country that spawned them and impose themselves on that backward society instead of ours.

In Rumania they fuck sheep. I believe you are thinking of Arkansas.

[jancsibacsi]

Being a satmerer chussid doesnt automatically mean he is from romania iknow for a fact that the webermans are from hungary since my mother had a weberman for an aunt

[Eli, what me messiah?]

Billybob, you have Arkansas confused with Alabama. On the state bar exam, they still ask "if a man and woman are divorced, are they still considered brother and sister in the eyes of the law?"

[Bas Melech]

Every time chasids or ultras get convicted, they claim antisemitism. Sometimes it's true, but most often not. In the world outside the Satmar ghetto, 42 year men consorting with young teen girls raises suspicions of impropriety. Also, female testimony equals that of males. The jurors probably saw a dirty old man claiming to be a therapist.

[Mike Kats]

Clamming antisemitism every time when one gets convicted is as stupid as clamming antisemitism every time Israel gets condemned.

Sometimes its antisemitism but many times its legitimate.

[something smells]

Although this entire story does not pass the kosher smell test I believe that on appeal this will be overturned.
No matter how emotional the girl sounded, this is a classic he said-she said and without any concrete evidence an appeals court won't have much choice

[Dov]

On the state bar exam, they still ask "if a man and woman are divorced, are they still considered brother and sister in the eyes of the law?"
---------

Same as in Kiryas Joel!

[jancsibacsi]

something smells--That something smell is coming from youre behind and youre mouth.

[Shmarya]

Although this entire story does not pass the kosher smell test I believe that on appeal this will be overturned.
No matter how emotional the girl sounded, this is a classic he said-she said and without any concrete evidence an appeals court won't have much choice

Posted by: something smells | January 08, 2013 at 03:41 PM

I realize you know very little about the law, but the law does not work the way you seem to think it does.

The appeals court is not a new trial.

The appeals court will primarily rule on challenges to the trial court's ruling on admitting or excluding evidence and similar issues.

It will not say, "Oh, this is he said, she said," and then overturn the conviction.

(And if it would be crazy enough to do that, it would lose in higher courts because there is hundreds of years of legal precedent for convicting in real he said, she said cases.

Do you think when a woman is, God forbid, raped without witnesses in her home by an intruder she can clearly identify a court has no right to convict the man because it is a "he said, she said" case?

Before DNA evidence existed – meaning, basically all cases before about 1990 – courts convicted on testimony like this all the time.

And when these crimes take place today and no DNA evidence is recoverable – and this happens far more often than you probably realize – courts do the same.

What this jury did (according to this juror's interview with the DN) was to judge the evidence they were given – and the credibility of the people giving it.

The girl was very credible.

The school social worker was very credible, and her testimony both supported the girl's story and helped disprove Weberman's theory of revenge.

Weberman's home, his behavior with the girls, etc., all raised credibility issues, as well.

This is not "he said, she said."

And even if it were, the law allows it.

[S M L]

In Rumania they fuck sheep. I believe you are thinking of Arkansas.

..confused with Alabama...

In Iran, do you know what they call a man with a sheep under each arm?
A bigamist.

[Proud Eastern European]

For some people posting here: a little bit more respect to other countries and people living there will not harm you.

God bless America,
Proud Eastern European

[dh]

Eli, LOL LOL LOL!!!

[Eli, what me messiah?]

Proud Eastern European | January 08, 2013 at 04:50 PM,

We meant no disrespect to your goats or your sheep or any other close relatives of yours.

DH, thanks. Remind me to tell you the one about picking a jury for a defendant accused of bestiality, but when no thin-skinned Eastern European shepherds around....

[spacedout BT]

"Pray for the welfare of the government- without it people would eat each other alive". Those who have no interest in the laws of yichud probably never learned this Mishna from Pirkei Avos. Is there a separate Torah in Wmsburg called the the community cultue of social pressure?

[shmuel]

Over at Notre Dame, they may not be able to play football against a real opponent, but they sure know how to fight for the rights of others, especially children. Especially children who are the victims of physical abuse. Check out this terrific two minute film, part of their outstanding "Who would you fight for?" series:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T98V4nRVrpI&list=PL7703F9874A79FFD1
Props to ND! Go Irish!

[CAIN B AKODESH]

NOW ITS CHAIM HEILPORN TURN!!!!

IT'S BRIDGE LANE OVER TROUBLED WATERS FOR CHAIM HEILPORNS

[CAIN B AKODESH]

NOW ITS CHAIM HEILPORN'S TURN!!!!

IT'S BRIDGE LANE OVER TROUBLED WATERS FOR CHAIM HEILPORN

[Yoel Mechanic]

something smells--That something smell is coming from youre behind and youre mouth.

Posted by: jancsibacsi | January 08, 2013 at 04:01 PM
-------------------------------------------
Well, I agree with the sentiment. Why not hear from some experienced and knowledgeable on the rules of evidence?

Also, I hope everyone in Yeshivah who has an opinion on this case will read the book
"To Kill a Mockingbird"? Why? Because everyone in high school is supposed to read this book..hehe. And if you have trouble reading it, then please insert my standard plug for community college, or whatever decent education you can afford. I'm sure there are Yiddish or Hebrew versions of this book, and if not, make your own.

[Mechel]

What's so disgusting about this is that the perps, like Amalek, pick on the weaklings, the nebachs, would would not likely have much support. Let's level the playing field a little, like pick on your own size. What if he would dare do it to the REBBE's kid(s)?! Now, would the accused be supported, like in this case, or more like beaten up or worse?