Court case stirs New York: Nehemiah Weberman convicted • Heavy penalty anticipated

Nechemia Weberman, a Satmer Chossid of 54, resident of Brooklyn, was convicted today (Monday) of 59 charges, in a trial being conducted against him following criminal complaints which reached the authorities.

Weberman is facing a sentence - to be given in a few weeks – of at least 25 years in prison.

Weberman and his relatives who were in the courtroom were stunned at the conviction. The judge immediately sealed his fate and ordered him to be transported immediately from the court to prison.

"We believe the jury received an unclean version of the facts against him," said attorney George Farkash, his lawyer, "the truth did not come to light, and the struggle will continue to bring out the truth in a case where an innocent man was caught."

His associates and leaders of the Satmer Chassidus are also convinced that this is a plot.

Weberman treated drop out youth for nearly 30 years, and was suspected of serious offenses during treatment.

The court has wide-scope coverage in New York, and has so far caused damage the public image of the Hareidi public which follows its proceedings with concern.

On Thursday, during a discussion of the evidence of both parties held at the court, Satmer chassidim came into the courtroom to support Weberman. But during the hearing four of them - Satmer Yeshiva students who were sent by Askanim – were observed taking pictures of the witness in the case. The four were arrested for contempt of court.

Later one of them was released when nothing was proven against him, the others were released on bail and face a sentence of up to one year in prison.

Last summer, a number of activists tried to talk the main complainant's family, so that she will cancel the complaint - for half a million dollars.

The activists reported the offer to her husband on Shabbos, but he recorded them, and so he complicated in the affair four other detainees.

According to the Daily News of New York, the activist was recorded when he was talking to the husband of the complainant in the case: "Even if this is true he should not go to jail," he was heard saying in the conversation. "A Jew does not belong in jail."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!