The tenet that forbids Jews from informing on fellow Jews is one of the hurdles facing Brooklyn prosecutors probing the April 14 attack on a black man by two Jewish men, sources told the Daily News.
Authorities - invoking a complaint long cited in cases involving rappers - said the initial probe was hindered by the local Hasidim's refusal to cooperate.
Jewish code snarls probe into Crown Hts attack
BROOKLYN, NY — Long before the first rapper stopped snitching or any Mafiosi swore an oath of omertà, there was the Jewish law of mesira.
The tenet that forbids Jews from informing on fellow Jews is one of the hurdles facing Brooklyn prosecutors probing the April 14 attack on a black man by two Jewish men, sources told the Daily News.
Authorities – invoking a complaint long cited in cases involving rappers – said the initial probe was hindered by the local Hasidim’s refusal to cooperate.
One source suggested the Orthodox community was taking a page from the rap world’s “stop snitching” handbook. But it was actually lifted directly from the Code of Jewish Law.
“The Hebrew word is mesira, which means basically you are not allowed to be an informant,” said Rabbi Shea Hecht, a well-known figure in Crown Heights.
“In essence, I am not allowed to snitch, period.”
The attack in Crown Heights led Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes to empanel an investigative grand jury to try to shake loose reluctant witnesses. It’s the same technique prosecutors tried unsuccessfully in the slaying of rapper Busta Rhymes’ bodyguard in 2006.
Rhymes and about 50 other witnesses refused to cooperate with cops. Their decision was based on street cred. The slaying remains unsolved.
When college student Andrew Charles was attacked in Crown Heights by two men wearing yarmulkes last month, police quickly identified a suspect – the driver of the getaway SUV.
Menachem Ezagui came to the 71st Precinct stationhouse with a lawyer after the vehicle was discovered. Police sources said he refused to answer any questions.
Charles, 20, the son of a city cop, was walking on Albany Ave. when a bicycle-riding assailant sprayed him with Mace. The SUV then pulled up, with a second man jumping out to smash the college sophomore twice with a nightstick, police said.
Cops have made no arrests. A lawyer sought to broker a deal that would have led two Jewish suspects to surrender on reduced charges. Sources said the district attorney’s office rejected the deal, insisting the attack was too severe.
According to Hecht, mesira is not an all-encompassing concept – common sense supersedes the law, as does the responsibility of preventing injury to others. “You’re not allowed to stand on the blood of your brother,” he said.
That comes with a loophole, too. If Jews are convinced that one of their own will not get a fair shake from authorities, they have no obligation to cooperate.
“There are double standards – sometimes they work to your advantage,” Hecht said. “To think there’s no political element to justice in America would be foolish.”
maddinsanecrazy
But to masher on shomrim memebers is allowed?
ELCHANAN GEISINSKY
IS THIS THE SAME CHARLES HYNES WHO DID SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB IN PROSECUTING LEMRICK NELSON THE MURDERER OF YANKEL
ROSENBAUM HYD?
JUST WONDERING
boruch ben Tzvi(A H)hakohaine hoffinger
B“H
Rabbi Hecht is correct.
I previously wrote a story about a carpenter, Reuvain, whom I knew who had his high quality power tools stolen from a van parked on Carroll Street off Troy Avenue.
The Black thief bragged to an older Black male about how he had stolen from a Jew.
The elder Black man was the carpenter’s foreman!
The police caught the thief who also had a criminal record.
At the (so-called) Grand Jury Reuvain walked in. Shortly afterwards the Grand Jury decided not to indict (charge the thief with a crime)! I think they recommended rehabilitation.
The prosecutor told Reuvan that he didn’t understand what had happened because this was an excellent case.
He told Reuvain perhaps it was the yarmulka he was wearing. ”You should have worn a baseball cap.”
The Grand Jury seems to have taken mercy on a thief who did commit a crime and was around 20 years old.
Is this justice? Did the victim feel satisfied? Why doesn’t the stupid system make the criminal work and pay back the victim? Other countries do this. Here, in the States, the victim better have insurance because nobody cares about him.
Spend money, spend money.
Bewildered
Did Hecht really make those stupid remarks to the press???
Vu is der seichel?
Zol men mefarsim zein as ale goyim shtam fun sholosh klipos hatamayois? siz faran a par zachen vas darf nit mefarsim zain
A Lawyer
There would be little accomplished by making a deal with the DA in any event. Prosecutors cannot be trusted to keep the deals they make. Just ask Jonathan Pollard who is serving a life sentence for spying for Israel despite the fact that his plea bargain said the prosecution would not ask for a life sentence. So instead Pollard’s prosecutors didn’t ask for life, but told the Judge that Pollard was the worst spy in U.S. history and the Judge gave Pollard a life sentence without the prosecutors specifically asking for it. I still remember the words of my criminal law professor from way back: “if you like cheating your little sister at cards you’ll make a good DA.”
Shmuel
The goyim leaders and Bloomberg look to Halberstam, Hecht, Sperlin, Sugar, and Rubashkin as the leaders who can speak for the community. I think they only speak for themselves and their egos.
maddinsanecrazy
ha ha stand in front of the 71st pricint for an hour and you’ll notich the many yidden walking through the pricint dropping off messira. just a few months ago two detectives came to my house at around midnight looking to question a family member because some yid went crying to police about some stupid false accusation, mind you the detectives stated they only came to make the complainent happy because he would not stop bugging them. sometimes i forget if this community we live in is communist russia or nazi germany.
vB
To ELCHANON GEIZINSKY, I think it is, but the DA gave Lemrick Nelson way to little years for the crime-Murder he did.
Anonymous
Have you Massered on a fellow Jew Yet???
If not, then go try it, it’s easy, just rip out your heart and get ride of your jewish soul and your good to go.
It’s sad, truly sad.
Anonymous
I don’t understand why people are getting all excited about what Mr. Charles Hynes is doing when on a daily basis we have our own “fellow Jews” (who Davven with us, who use our Mikvas, some even scream different slogans etc… some hide behind a mask of “protecting” the community) Massering on us (making false allegations on one another).
What is done to them?
Why is there not an out cry to stop them?
Why are these Mossrim (takka) praying with us, using our mikvas and excepted in our community?
mr.halacha
if u know something …keep yr mouth shut
Mossers out !!!
Mesira is a political game with certain glorified members of our community.
One notable victem of Mesira was Moshe Rubashhkin.
He was ratted on to the authorities in a shameful, discraceful manner that does not befit any Jew let alone members of our own Shchuna.
ch-er
mr hecht you are so full of it
as you yourself say that there are loopholes in torah
that sounds just like you as a politition
to do as you please and find a loophole al daas torah
and come out to the public and bring out your selfcentered greatness of all the work you do for the community
to dov yes he has maasered on another fellow jew and not only once there are meny in the community that know it and will come out with it
if in anyway whatsoever you are trying to be like your father please do yourself the community and your neshamah a favor and stop
may hashem have pity on you
Olive Shomrim
Shmira are really lucky Shomrim keep the laws of mesira. Even though the reverse isn’t true!
curious
what is the story behind his beating? i doubt they just randomly picked on him for fun.