http://www.vosizneias.com/108385/2012/06/21/brooklyn-ny-four-accused-in-witness-intimidation-arrested-in-williamsburg
http://www.vosizneias.com/108427/2012/06/21/brooklyn-ny-four-indicted-facing-potential-jail-time-for-intimidating-witnesses-in-williamsburg-abuse-case
Brooklyn DA making the announcement this afternoon. Photo: Brooklyn DABrooklyn, NY - Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes, whose staunch defense of his Kol Tzedek program included creating a task force to prosecute any individual who attempted to interfere with witnesses in sexual abuse cases, announced the indictment of four Williamsburg men this afternoon, all of whom are charged with attempting to impede the prosecution in the case against 53 year old Nechemya Weberman.
Abraham Rubin, 48 and Joseph, Jacob and Hertzka Berger, were all arraigned today in Brooklyn Supreme Court by Justice John Walsh, after being arrested in the early Morning hours in their homes, as previously reported on VIN News.
Rubin, who faces up to seven years in prison if convicted, was charged with four count of Bribing a Witness, two counts of Fourth Degree Tampering with a Witness and one count of Coercion in the Second Degree. Rubin is alleged to have attempted to silence the victim and a friend, who was also a witness in the case, by bribing them with half a million dollars to drop the case, telling them that justice would be better served if the case did not come to trial. He is also alleged to have suggested that the pair relocate to Israel in order to avoid testifying and offered to provide them with an attorney who would guide them in behavior that would make the case more difficult for the prosecution.
A second indictment charges the three Berger brothers with Coercion in the Second Degree, with Joseph Berger also charged with Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree and Jacob Berger charged with Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree. Both Joseph and Hertzka Berger potentially face one year prison terms, while Jacob Berger faces up to four years in prison.
The Bergers are charged with attempting to pressure both the victim and the witness not to testify in the upcoming case and threatened to remove the kashrus certification from the witness’ restaurant in Williamsburg. After the pair refused to back down, Jacob Berger allegedly went to the restaurant and removed the certification from the wall.
Assistant District Attorney Josh Hanshaft said the four men had no regard for the criminal justice system and wanted to handle the case their way. They “tried to make the witnesses disappear so the case would be dropped,” he said.
All four men pleaded not guilty to all charges and according to reports on the Associated Press, the courtroom was packed with the defendants’ friends and family. The four were ordered to stay away from the accuser and her boyfriend.
Bail was set for Rubin at $75,000 and for each of the Berger brothers at $5,000 each and all are expected to make bail. All four men were required to surrender their passports to the authorities.
“They all deny the allegations. They are obviously going to be fighting these cases vehemently,” defense attorney Bruce Wenger said.
Weberman’s attorney, George Farkas, has said his client is innocent of the charges, and that Weberman has been maligned by the supporters of the girl, now 17.
Farkas said Thursday his client had no knowledge or involvement in the suspected bribery.
“We denounce any effort to undermine the legitimate court process in this or any case. Mr. Weberman has stated from the beginning that no one should be subjected to any form of harassment,” Farkas said in a statement.
Hynes has been the subject of intense media scrutiny in the past few weeks because of his policy of not releasing the names of potential abusers and today’s arrests are the first made by the task force created just weeks ago in order to protect witnesses from intimidation.
“Hopefully, these indictments serve as an example that we will not tolerate individuals who try to interfere with the pursuit of justice,” said Hynes.
