[Donate link below.] Lawyers for Reb Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin asked a judge on Ererv Shabbos to sentence their client to no more than six years in prison. Rubashkin’s legal team argued in court papers that the former Postville meat plant officer did not personally profit from an alleged fraud scheme and alleged use of illegal immigrant workers at Agriprocessors Inc.
Reb Sholom Mordechai was convicted in November of an exaggerated 86 counts. Prosecutors had charged him with 91 counts, including a never-before-enforced law regarding failing to pay cattle providers in the time.
Agriprocessors Inc. was the site of an unprecedented May 2008 immigration raid that led to the arrest of 389 illegal workers. The plant slipped into bankruptcy and was later bought by Montreal askan Hershey Friedman who opened Agri Star.
Prosecutors indicated in December that they would recommend a 21- to 27-year prison term for Reb Sholom Mordechai.
The suggested sentence – which a judge can accept or ignore – is based on federal guidelines that consider the number of victims, Reb Sholom Mordechai’s specific role in the alleged crime and other factors.
U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade has set a two-day sentence hearing for Rubashkin on April 28 and 29 in Cedar Rapids. Reb Sholom Mordechai has been inexplicably held without bond in the Linn County Jail.
In court papers, defense lawyers said Reb Sholom Mordechai has lived a life of “selfless contributions to both the Jewish community and the greater community at large.” His attorneys also pointed to an online petition with 16,000 names that asks for a “compassionate and merciful sentence.”
“He didn’t rob, steal or cheat anyone,” said defense lawyer Guy Cook. “It’s not a bank robbery. It was motivated by honoring his father, which is a big part of his religion . . . and trying to keep his father’s business afloat.”
Please continue to daven for Reb Shalom Mordechai ben Rivkah.
You can easily donate by clicking on the following link:
Alternatively, you can mail contributions to:
Pidyon Shvuyim Fund
53 Olympia Lane
Monsey NY 10952
{Des Moines Register/Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}
6 years is way too much.
why six years? are his lawyers nuts? not more than a year, like other cases. it looks like his lawyers are his biggest enemies
The rule in bartering is if you ask too much in the end you get nothing. If they ask for a year then the procecuters may just ignore the request as irelavent and give him the 27 years.
6 years is very nice but still doesn’t deserve any sentence.
Six years is crazy. i think Guy Cook is totally inept.
It not like they take the defense’s recommendation. They just put it in consideration. If I think that he should only be jailed for a year, why say six? Ridiculous.
What chance does he have with such lawyers?
One year, not a day more.
6 years??? He shouldn’t sit for a day! The prosecutor and judge should sit instead.