Monsey - Charges Against Satmar Principal Who Beat Student Dropped

 

Assault charges against a Rabbi accused of physically assaulting a 10 year-old student were dismissed by a Spring Valley Court justice Thursday after the boy and his family refused to cooperate with authorities.

LOHUD.com Reports that 60 year-old Rabbi Meilech Spitzer, a Brooklyn resident and top administrator with the United Talmudical Academy in Spring Valley, had been charged in February with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly slapped the boy hard enough to leave bruises on the boy’s face and ear.

At Spitzer’s April arraignment Justice Alan Simon also issued a protective order preventing Spitzer from having any contact with the boy.

On Thursday, Justice Simon dismissed all charges and lifted the protective order after Spitzer’s attorney, Robert Conklin, successfully argued that the 90-day “right to a speedy trial” period had elapsed without the District Attorney’s office successfully obtaining a signed eyewitness account from the victim—-the boy.

Conklin argued that original complaint, which was signed by a Spring Valley detective in hopes of gaining cooperation from the boy and his family, amounted to nothing more than “hearsay.”

Conklin said in order for the DA’s case to go forward, they “must file a supporting deposition signed by an individual who experienced the incident first-hand.”

Executive DA Gary Lee Heavner said in court, “The people did try to prosecute this case. We were not able to convince the family.”