Shaul Spitzer, Hasidic Man Admits Burning Neighbor In New York Religious Dispute

By Aman Ali

NEW CITY, NY, Feb 7 (Reuters) - A Hasidic Jewish man from New York state pleaded guilty to assault on Tuesday for setting a neighbor on fire because he wasn't praying with the rest of the community, leaving the man badly burned.

Shaul Spitzer, 18, of New Square, New York, admitted to lighting Aron Rottenberg ablaze after learning that he had disobeyed a prayer order by the Grand Rebbe of the Hasidic enclave about 35 miles north of New York City.

He pleaded guilty to assault in a New York court and faces up to 10 years in prison, although Judge William Kelly said he would likely receive a 5-year sentence.

Spitzer, who worked for Grand Rebbe David Twersky, admitted in court that he used a heavy duty propane lighter to set Rottenberg on fire in May 2011.

He lit him on fire when Rottenberg confronted him after Spitzer had stuffed gasoline-soaked shirts into a bag, lit it on fire and threw it onto the porch of Rottenberg's home, he admitted. The family was sleeping inside, court documents said.

Prosecutor Stephen Moore said Rottenberg spent more than a month in the hospital for severe burns.

Under the plea deal, charges of attempted murder and arson were dismissed. Spitzer could have faced a 25-year prison sentence for those charges. Outside court, Spitzer's attorney Kenneth Gribetz said his client had been trying to cause mischief, not to kill anyone.

"This is a young boy who has no criminal intent," he said. "He's not a criminal ... He should be given a chance to get back on the right track."

Spitzer, who will be sentenced in April, entered his plea on the day jury selection was set to begin in the case. Rottenberg was in court and told the judge he consented to the plea deal.

Court documents said Rottenberg's family had received several threats and had their property vandalized for not praying in the community's main synagogue.

Rottenburg has a pending civil lawsuit against Spitzer and Twersky stemming from the incident. Gribetz said in court a settlement in the $2 million range was under discussion. (Editing By Ellen Wulfhorst and Cynthia Johnston)

Comments

[plaidsportcoat]

06:37 AM on 02/14/2012

Burn Thy Neighbor.

[kayyy]

11:33 AM on 02/11/2012

Though this man was taught every day of his life that extremism is acceptable, He is also an american and should have known better. The elders of his faith have internal processes for these matters and He should have respected them. Instead He chose extremism and possible death. Extremism is just wrong.

Thousands of generations were destroyed because of this very kind of thinking. Sumeria gone. A wave of destruction from Mongolia to Europe. 6 million Jews murdered. The annihilation of Israel, and non islamic nations. Extremism is just wrong. He is educated with full access to other options. The elders of his faith were suposed to handle this internal matter, not him alone. His youth is not an excuse for this. Shame on the suckers who bought in to the excuses.

God bless the family during this time may they have every support possible.

[Djay0252]

11:28 AM on 02/11/2012

Outside court, Spitzer's attorney Kenneth Gribetz said his client had been trying to cause mischief, not to kill anyone. Mischief, an interesting choice of words but not one that is a reality in this situation.

[tcny]

02:51 AM on 02/11/2012

There is not a hell-hole deep enough to throw this detritus down.

[Varys]

01:48 AM on 02/11/2012

Why is it that the more religious a person is, the more awful they are?

[RLaitres]

08:34 AM on 02/11/2012

Those of us who have studied this phenomenon find that it is always the same. Such inidividuals, claiming to be "speaking for their deitry" often end up believing that they are "God". And, in their zealotry, do not even see the human being. We find those in all "religions", even the most popular ones, Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Who and what do you believe is behind all those so-called "social issues" the Republican Party, and other "social conservatives" keep bringing up every election cycle? It is by those who, in their sense of superiority for serving "God" (or at least they believe they are), have no compunciton whatsoever in telling people not only what they should do, but what they should believe.

[kayyy]

11:38 AM on 02/11/2012

I've said it before and I'll say it again. "I'm right your wrong. Just shut up and deal with it." Now I know how messed up that is, so I make it a point not to 'enforce' it on others. If me the kindergardner of people can figure this out so can everyone else. Your observation is valid, just not good.

[Spock]

09:44 AM on 02/11/2012

Maybe they figure in the afterlife god will high five them for a job well done.

[peter010908]

07:59 PM on 02/10/2012

Another reason why religion should be banned.

[Robert Frano]

04:35 PM on 02/10/2012

Re: "Shaul Spitzer, 18, of New Square, NY, admitted lighting Aron Rottenberg ablaze after learning that he had disobeyed a prayer order by the Grand Rebbe; …He pleaded guilty to assault in a NY court & faces up to 10 years; Judge Wm.Kelly said he’d likely receive a 5-year sentence..."

In the course of being an urban paramedic, I’ve managed a LOT of ‘Burn-Jobs’…they really suck!
I’ve had patients intentionally burnt, (1) self-burnt, (multiple), burnt at fires, (multiple), and burnt-to-death, (1...it took the patient a month to die, although the issue wasn't really in much doubt).
In 1990, I had 87 killed, (‘smoked’), at an illegal social club…None of these were of ‘religious-dispute’ origins.
I have a challenge to any/all monotheists...
Can your faith community go for a whole year, (a 365 day period), w/o committing murder, by any means, against any persons, anywhere in the world?
That is…
Can Christians, Jews, Islamics & other ‘single Deity’ worshipers control themselves/persuade their fellow adherents to avoid, no matter what, the murder of another human, by anyone connected to the faith community / sect / whatever for 1 whole year?
If not…why not?
If not, why should anyone listen to any of the crass, impersonal, often antisocial public moral posturing the rest of us are deluged by?

[Kojak007]

11:22 AM on 02/10/2012

No criminal intent??? He tried to burn a family to death for not participating in his religion. How nice. Is this how the religious teach people lessons? It certainly conforms to the old testament but that is no reason to reduce his sentance. This is a dangerous individual with no regard for human life.

www.currentlychicago.com

[Jay Skins]

10:03 AM on 02/10/2012

""This is a young boy who has no criminal intent," he said. "He's not a criminal ... "

What? How does someone purposely set someone else on fire without criminal intent (unless that other person is a stuntman)?

[kayyy]

11:48 AM on 02/11/2012

Yep

[edgraham]

09:19 AM on 02/10/2012

Have this one on your show, Oprah.

[GracieGiraffe]

06:44 PM on 02/09/2012

A guy like that should never have been offered such a plea deal. If I were the judge I never would have gone for it.

[elblanc0]

06:28 PM on 02/09/2012

Thanks, religion.

[leftgranma]

04:04 PM on 02/09/2012

And if the criminal arsonist and attempted murderer of an entire family had been a Muslim? Would he have gotten off with with 5 years for mischief? Youthful hi-jinks?

[Spock]

09:42 AM on 02/11/2012

Would the Muslim have pleaded guilty?

[phal4875]

03:39 PM on 02/09/2012

The beauty of religious beliefs never ceases to amaze.

[Capricious Capricorn]

03:13 PM on 02/09/2012

He thought this was an issue to God? His judgement of the right way to pray? Religious lunacy!