A wealthy heir from the Raisin empire has been charged with three felony hate crimes after he was heard shouting offensive anti-Semitic remarks at his rabbi neighbor from his $5.3 million home.
Bruce Lyon, aged 64, who is linked to the fruit dynasty, reportedly flooded his jail cell multiple times this week to avoid a court appearance, according to the California Post.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Zushe Kunin has faced one count related to civil rights violations and two counts of criminal intimidation, allegedly recorded making threatening comments.
Lyon was supposed to appear in court Thursday afternoon. He showed up at the courthouse but was prevented from going further due to his behavior.
During this incident, he was placed in a safety chair and allegedly let the toilet run, causing flooding in his cell. His lawyer claimed that Lyon has mental health challenges, entering a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Consequently, the judge mandated an evaluation and investigation, setting bond at $225,000. If found guilty, he could face a potential prison sentence of up to nine years and four months.
Recently, several videos surfaced, showing Lyon harassing Rabbi Kunin from his balcony, where he shouted derogatory remarks about Judaism and the rabbi.
In one disturbing interaction, Lyon exclaimed:
“Your false gospel has no meaning. It’s over. If you kill Jesus, you’ll go to hell. Do you understand?” He even made threats about “pulling” the rabbi’s nose.
Rabbi Kunin expressed hope that the charges would bring some solace to his community, which has been enduring months of fear and intimidation.
After Lyon’s arrest on June 13, he was observed making further anti-Semitic comments directed at a cameraman who was filming the incident.
Reportedly, he shouted, “Hey, you Jews, you Jews, you’re going to hell,” while being taken into custody.
His son was seen resisting arrest, expressing distress about the situation. A friend of the Lyon family, who identified herself as Megan, mentioned that Lyon has been facing significant personal struggles.
“Bruce has some mental issues that need to be addressed immediately,” she stated, adding that her primary concern was for Rabbi Kunin’s safety in his own home.
Megan attempted to visit Lyon in court but was denied access, only managing to leave a supportive message for him with the bailiff.
District Attorney Nathan Hockman emphasized that “hate has no place in Los Angeles County,” stating the rise in anti-Semitic crimes is alarming, and they will pursue all bias-driven offenses.
Lyon is set to appear in court again on July 6, following his mental health evaluation.
