Eric Gonzalez, the Brooklyn State Attorney, has stirred controversy. Critics claim he attempted to assist in freeing Nechemia Weberman, a convicted pedophile from the Hasidic community. Tensions escalated during his State of the Nation address, prompting the need for intervention from bystanders.
Opponents of Weberman’s resentencing, including activists, worry that the prosecutor’s office may push for a new prison term that could potentially lead to his release.
Victims’ advocates argue that Gonzalez’s actions, which included photo opportunities with supporters of Weberman and disparaging comments about the victims, reveal his true intentions. Some victims felt compelled to seek their own legal counsel.
Weberman, who previously worked at the Williamsburg Yeshiva, was sentenced to 103 years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl, Rivky Deutsch, over three years. This sentence was later amended to 50 years under state regulations, and he is now awaiting resentencing.
“It’s quite unusual for a victim to feel overlooked by prosecutors,” stated Sarina Townsend, an attorney with a decade of experience in Brooklyn’s prosecutor’s office, who once worked on Weberman’s case.
One participant recounted an encounter between the prosecutors and Deutsch that ended with frustrations boiling over and his team leaving the discussion.
“Typically, victims expect prosecutors to ease their path to justice,” Townsend added, which is why it’s so rare for victims to hire legal representation.
Asher Lovi, a victims’ advocate leading the Orthodox Jewish organization Zacca, expressed his frustrations directly to Gonzalez after the State of the Union. “Frankly, no one seems to grasp what Gonzalez is doing,” Lovi mentioned, highlighting the outrage surrounding potential leniency towards Weberman.
Lovi recalled confronting Gonzalez, saying, “I was surprised to see you here. I thought you were aiming to get Weberman released.” This led to an intense exchange between them.
Gonzalez reportedly denied any intentions of securing Weberman’s release, with Lovi reminding him of a 2021 letter he sent, which, he argued, did not support the victims’ cause.
A fellow council member had to step in to separate Lovi and Gonzalez during their heated discussion.
The prosecutor’s office has not publicly addressed the friction or criticized Gonzalez’s decision to advocate for longer sentences for sex offenders. However, they did express support for victim Deutsch while simultaneously empathizing with Weberman’s case, suggesting his original sentence was excessively harsh.
“After evaluating all relevant facts, we decided it was best to let the courts consider all viewpoints to ensure a just outcome, preventing the defendant from dying in prison under a disproportionately severe sentence,” remarked DA spokesperson Oren Yaniv.
Weberman’s attorney, Donna Aldea, has not commented on this matter.
Activists have pointed out that Gonzalez seems to prioritize relationships with influential figures in the Hasidic community, neglecting victim advocacy groups. It’s not the first time this has drawn criticism.
Recently, documents were submitted in court by Lovi and others that highlighted a letter from Weberman published in a Hasidic publication. In it, he likened his situation to “Patriarch Jacob,” claiming his anticipated release is akin to Jacob returning to a fertile homeland.
“For someone so reprehensible, unrepentant, and desperate to reclaim his previous stature, granting him such leniencies is disgraceful,” Townsend said.
Moreover, members of Weberman’s Satmar community attacked and harassed Deutsch throughout the trial. There were allegations of bribery to get Deutsch to withdraw her lawsuit, and retaliatory actions against her husband’s business followed.
During the trial, at least three individuals faced arrest for sharing private footage of Deutsch, and one of Weberman’s supporters reportedly had bleach thrown in his face.
