Judge Rejects Anti-Semitism Claim in Rubashkin Case

A federal judge has brushed aside contentions that Reb Shalom Mordechai Rubashkin’s indictment was tainted by anti-Semitism. Lawyers for Shalom Mordechai had asked for a dismissal of numerous charges. The defense lawyers brought proof in court last month that witnesses before a federal grand jury made negative references to the fact that Shalom Mordechai and other former Agriprocessors managers are Orthodox Jews.The lawyers presented an expert on jury issues, who said those stereotypes could have helped lead to the indictment of Shalom Mordechai and the other men.

But Chief District Judge Linda Reade ruled on Erev Shabbos that there was no basis to this despite clear evidence that there is.

“It is the court’s firm conviction that there was no impropriety in these grand jury proceedings,” she wrote. She called them “innocuous statements and questions.”

The judge did not rule on defense requests that the cases be separated and that the trials be moved out of state to avoid bias caused by extensive media coverage.

Defense lawyer Guy Cook said he was unsure if Shalom Mordechai would appeal Reade’s ruling on the grand-jury bias contention.

The trial is set for September, but it could be delayed.

{Based on a Des Moines Register report, Elisha Ferber-Matzav.com Newscenter}