Accused Molester Has Massive Stroke on Eve of Trial
By Shmarya Rosenberg
The trial of alleged Teaneck child sexual abuser Rabbi Uzi Rivlin is on indefinite hold after Rivlin suffered a massive stroke last week. Rivlin is reportedly in critical condition in a medically induced coma at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, on a respirator and unresponsive since his stroke Wednesday. The trial of alleged Teaneck child sexual abuser Rabbi Uzi Rivlin is on indefinite hold after Rivlin suffered a massive stroke last week, NorthJersey.com reported.
Rivlin allegedly molested two teenage Israeli boys in two separate series of incidents in his home.
Opening arguments in the trial were slated to begin today.
Rivlin is reportedly in critical condition in a medically induced coma at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, on a respirator and unresponsive since his stroke Wednesday.
Judge Patrick J. Roma told the open court that he received a letter from a physician at Holy Name Hospital confirming that Rivlin is unable to walk, talk, and cannot appear in court.
Rivlin’s wife allegedly left her husband in bed on Wednesday morning, went to work, and when she returned 12 hours later, found him still in bed. She called 911 after she noticed that her husband’s breathing was unusually shallow.
The 65-year-old rabbi was arrested in 2011 and charged with fondling two 13-year-old Israeli boys who were staying at his home as participants in an exchange scholarship program for disadvantaged Israeli children he created and sponsored. The two alleged did not know each other. Each was a guest in Rivlin’s home in 2009 and 2010 at a time the other was not present there.
Rivlin’s alleged crimes were first reported to Israeli police separately by the boys when they returned to Israel.
Rivlin denies molesting the boys, and Rivlin’s attorney told the court previously that one of them had made a similar, but false, allegation against his own father – although the exact nature and resolution of that complaint is not completely clear.
If Rivlin recovers, stands trial and is convicted, he faces as much as 10 years in state prison.
Two witnesses had already had been flown in from Israel for the trial but were sent back due to Rivlin’s condition.
The court is scheduled to hold a brief hearing on Rivilin’s medical condition July 1.
At the earliest, even if Rivlin would be completely well tomorrow his trial would now reportedly not begin any sooner than early 2014.
|
.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.