Charges Dropped Against Men Who Harassed Supporters Of Alleged Victims Of Rabbi Chaim Halpern

Both trials were abandoned after the complainants in both cases withdrew support for the prosecutions.

Accused sex abuser Rabbi Chaim Halpern

The local London, UK newspaper Ham&High reports:

Harassment charges against two men brought in relation to police investigations into a Temple Fortune rabbi have been dropped.

Shlomo Feldman, 28, and Samuel Erlanger, 37, were set for trials as part of ongoing investigations into orthodox rabbi Chaim Halpern, 54, leader of Divrei Chaim Synagogue in Bridge Lane, Temple Fortune.

Mr Erlanger, of Powis Gardens, Golders Green, was due to appear for trial at Willesden Magistrates’ Court facing one charge of harassment without violence on July 11.

Mr Feldman, of Lynmouth Road, Stamford Hill, was due for a trial at the same court on Friday facing three charges of harassment without violence.

But both trials were abandoned after the complainants in both cases withdrew support for the prosecutions.

Rabbi Halpern was arrested and questioned in February on suspicion of sexual assault and perverting the course of justice. He is due to return to police in August.

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Comments

[S M L]

I'm taking bets on the amount of the payoff that led to this. Anyone?

[ah-pee-chorus]

SML-

prob in combo with strong threats.

[Mark H. Jay]

SML @ 12:11:

My suspicion is that no involved person would be so stupid as to offer or receive money for this. That is witness tampering and if discovered would be far more serious than the harassment charges.

Besides, they don't need to pay anyone off. All they need do is intimidate, which they do quite effectively.

[S M L]

@ APC, Mark -

I wonder. Carrot plus stick - pay 'em off and threaten them both Seal 'em up tight.

What're needed are laws that preclude withdrawing legitimate complaints that would ordinarily lead to criminal prosecution so that the prosecution takes on a life of its own and progresses if there's evidence of wrongdoing.