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Lakewood, NJ - Suspect in Rabbi Bat Attack Competent to Stand Trial |
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Lee Tucker 37, accused of the attempted murder of Rabbi Mordechai Moskowitz
Superior Court Judge Francis R. Hodgson ruled that Lee Tucker of Ventura Drive is mentally fit to stand trial on the attempted murder charge and another charge of possessing a weapon.
Tucker is accused of severely beating Rabbi Mordechai Moskowitz in Lakewood on Oct. 9, 2007. Moskowitz, then 53 and a third-grade teacher at Lakewood Cheder School, was attacked while walking to synagogue to pray, (as was reported at that time here on VIN News).
Tucker's attorneys, Glenn Kassman and Kevin Young, sought to have their client declared incompetent to stand trial.
However, Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Michael Weatherstone called another psychiatrist, Dr. Timothy Michals, as his expert witness. Michals testified that Tucker is competent and that he faked mental illness during an exam.
Hodgson issued his ruling Thursday. Young said at issue was whether Tucker is mentally competent to assist in his defense, and that Hodgson agreed with the state's expert who said that he is.
Young said the defense team may now pursue an insanity defense for Tucker and are seeking to have him re-evaluated. For that defense to succeed, the defense attorneys would have to prove that Tucker was insane when the crimes were committed.
Hodgson scheduled a conference in the case for July 6.
Tucker was arrested and charged on Oct. 24, 2007, a day after he was released from a stay at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital in Winslow. The assault on the rabbi received widespread attention, including a news conference to announce a $25,000 reward for information posted by the Anti-Defamation League and the Vaad, Lakewoods' council of Jewish Orthodox leaders.
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Read Comments (4) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 02, 2009 at 03:41 PM Ibrahim Says:
That's a big boy
2
Jun 03, 2009 at 07:24 AM Anonymous Says:
Are you sure those handcuffs are strong enough?
3
Jun 03, 2009 at 07:43 AM Avrohom Abba Says:
I am very pleased and appreciative to see that Judge Francis R. Hodgson and Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Michael Weatherstone, are both smart enough to see that these Jew lawyers are trying to get the arrogant, hater and attacker off the hook by pleading he was insane. Yeah, right, insane. Like what he did shows he was insane? Oh yeah?
Insane to me is if Tucker would have washed his face with shoe polish while sitting in a boiling hot bathtub dressed in his best suit and and while drying his hair with a blow dryer and crying.
But somehow, hitting the Jewish man with a baseball bat just doesn't quite make me think of Tucker as insane.
4
Jun 11, 2009 at 12:58 PM Paardestaart Says:
“ I am very pleased and appreciative to see that Judge Francis R. Hodgson and Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Michael Weatherstone, are both smart enough to see that these Jew lawyers are trying to get the arrogant, hater and attacker off the hook by pleading he was insane. Yeah, right, insane. Like what he did shows he was insane? Oh yeah?
Insane to me is if Tucker would have washed his face with shoe polish while sitting in a boiling hot bathtub dressed in his best suit and and while drying his hair with a blow dryer and crying.
But somehow, hitting the Jewish man with a baseball bat just doesn't quite make me think of Tucker as insane. ”
?????
Jew lawyers??
Shoepolish?
Are you glad the rabbi was beaten up?
Are yóu unsane?