Jews for Allah

[Yousef Al khattab]

Oklahoma rabbi pleads guilty to groping female employees and two girls
Tue Mar 25,11:12 PM ET


OKLAHOMA CITY - A rabbi pleaded guilty to charges that he groped two female employees of a religious school and two girls who attended classes.



Richard Marcovitz, 66, agreed Tuesay to a 20-year sentence, five of which must be served in prison, said Oklahoma County prosecutor Steve Deutsch. Marcovitz's prison time can be reduced if he successfully completes a sex offender program.


The rabbi faced five counts of indecent or lewd acts with two girls, ages 12 and 9. Six counts of sexual battery were filed against Marcovitz in connection with allegations of inappropriately touching a teacher and a daycare worker who was 17 at the time.


Jury selection for the rabbi's trial had been scheduled to begin Tuesday.


Marcovitz has been on paid leave from Emanuel Synagogue. The incidents occurred between August 2000 and May 2001 at the Solomon Schechter Academy, also called the Oklahoma City Jewish Day School. The school was based at the synagogue, but is no longer in operation.

[Yousef Al khattab]

Judge allows evidence in rabbi trial
2003-03-25
By Diana Baldwin
The Oklahoman


Allegations that an Oklahoma City rabbi has been touching young girls for 40 years can be presented to a jury hearing charges that he inappropriately touched two students, a teacher and an after-care worker at a local Jewish school, a judge ruled Monday.
Defense attorneys said they will appeal Oklahoma County District Judge Twyla Mason Gray's decision to allow evidence about other allegations against Rabbi Richard Marcovitz to be presented at his trial.

Michael Gassaway, one of the rabbi's attorneys, said they will appeal Gray's decision to the state Court of Criminal Appeals today and ask for a stay in the proceedings.

Gray, who refused Monday to stay the trial, said she will begin jury selection this morning.

"There is always the potential he could plead. The question is before him. He'll have to decide," Gassaway said.

The district attorney made a plea offer several weeks ago.

The trial for Marcovitz, rabbi at Emanuel Synagogue, was scheduled to begin Monday in Oklahoma County District Court. The day was spent deciding motions.

Marcovitz, 66, is on paid leave of absence from the synagogue, said Michelle Green, another of the rabbi's attorneys.

The rabbi faces five counts of indecent or lewd acts with two girls, ages 12 and 9. The teacher and a 17-year-old after-care worker are named in six counts of sexual battery filed against Marcovitz.

The students were attending the Jewish Community Day School in Oklahoma City when they say they were sexually assaulted.

Assistant District Attorneys Joellyn McCormick and Steve Deutsch said in court filings they have evidence that in 1962, when Marcovitz was in Elkins Park, Penn., he put his hand down the shirt of a 12-year-old student studying with the rabbi for her bat mitzvah. The girl said the rabbi continued the conduct on a daily basis for about two months.

In Pottsville, Penn., between Jan. 1, 1966, and Dec. 31, 1967, Marcovitz fondled a 10-year-old girl, according to court records.

During the summer of 1994 in Palm Beach, Fla., Marcovitz was accused of fondling another 10-year-old girl - a friend of the defendant's daughter who was visiting in his home.

The girl called her parents and wanted to come home early. Her mother said when she met her daughter at the airport she started crying and explained what had happened in Florida, records state.

According to court documents, in Oklahoma County between Jan. 1, 1998, through Feb. 24, 2001, Marcovitz committed indecent and lewd acts with a child under age 16 by touching the student's buttocks and rubbing her back underneath her clothes while he made comments that she was sexy. She was attending classes with the defendant for bat mitzvah.

The judge ruled that evidence about those four incidents - in which no charges were ever filed - could be used in the trial. Prosecutors presented evidence about three other acts naming Marcovitz. Gray denied one of them and ruled two others would be considered during the trial if they were relevant.

Gassaway said Gray's rulings were "procedurally defective."

Defense attorneys said prosecutors did not follow the law because the motion wasn't filed 10 days prior to trial or at the pre-trial hearing, whichever comes first.

There were two pre-trial hearings - Aug. 7, 2002, and Oct. 2, 2002. McCormick filed the motion at the time of the second pre-trial hearing.

The judge said she considers the first pre-trial hearing set by the preliminary hearing judge is like a status conference to determine if the case is going to plead, negotiations are pending or there will be a trial.

[Yousef Al khattab]

Rabbi admits inappropriate acts
2003-03-26
By Diana Baldwin
The Oklahoman


Rabbi Richard M. Marcovitz decided to plead guilty Tuesday to inappropriately touching two students, a teacher and an after-care worker at an Oklahoma City Jewish school after a judge ruled evidence about the same kind of behavior over the last 40 years could be heard at his jury trial.
The Emanuel Synagogue rabbi was sentenced to prison for five years and ordered to attend a sex offender treatment program.

Oklahoma County District Judge Twyla Mason Gray said Marcovitz could be released earlier after he completes the sex offender program.

He was given five 20-year sentences with all but five years suspended for his convictions for indecent or lewd acts with a child under 16, and six five-year sentences for the sexual battery convictions. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently.

Marcovitz, 66, pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts of inappropriately touching two students and two employees of the Jewish Community Day School.

The judge ruled Marcovitz cannot take another rabbinic position at a synagogue or teach children in any capacity. He will have to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison.

Marcovitz decided late Monday to plead guilty after the judge ruled prosecutors could call four girls and one of their mothers to testify about what they said the rabbi did to them.

Defense attorney Billy Bock said: "Based on the ruling yesterday, he had to reassess his situation. At some point, you have to take your money off the roulette table. He didn't want to die in prison. Now, he's in control of his future."

Assistant District Attorneys Joel-lyn McCormick and Steve Deutsch said they have evidence that in 1962, when Marcovitz was in Elkins Park, Penn., he put his hand down the shirt of a 12-year-old student studying with the rabbi for her bas mitzvah. The girl said the rabbi continued the conduct on a daily basis for about two months.

In Pottsville, Pa., between Jan. 1, 1966, and Dec. 31, 1967, Marcovitz fondled the private parts of a 10-year-old girl, according to court records.

During the summer of 1994 in Palm Beach, Fla., Marcovitz fondled another 10-year-old girl -- a friend of the defendant's daughter who was visiting in his home, according to court records. The girl said Marcovitz rubbed her private area underneath bedcovers on multiple occasions, documents show.

The girl called her parents and wanted to go home early, according to court records. Her mother said when she met her daughter at the airport, she started crying and explained what had happened in Florida, records state.

In Oklahoma County between Jan. 1, 1998, and Feb. 24, 2001, Marcovitz committed indecent and lewd acts with a child under the age of 16 by touching the student's buttocks and rubbing her back underneath her clothes while making comments that she was sexy, according to documents. She was attending classes with the defendant for bas mitzvah, according to court records.

During his sentencing, Marcovitz complained he was lightheaded and needed to sit down because it would be easier to answer the judge's questions.

"I'm sorry for any pain I caused any of those people," Marcovitz said. "There was no malice on my part on committing these things. In the future, I will attempt to be more sensitive. I feel very badly about what occurred."

The judge told the rabbi it was impossible for her to understand what he did.

"There is no doubt in my mind your attorneys did you a great service negotiating your plea," Gray said. "A jury would put you in prison for a long time."

Sharon Murphy, one of the rabbi's supporters, said the charges should have been thrown out.

"He doesn't have an evil bone in his body," said Murphy, who attended the synagogue for 18 years. "He spent his life trying to help people. They dug and dug and dug to get people to say things that some of them were lies. Even the lies were nothing."

Prosecutors said they were ready to go to trial, but were glad the victims wouldn't have to testify before a jury.

Deutsch said, "The office of district attorney takes an extremely dim view of anyone, especially anyone in a position of trust, who takes advantage of a child."

[Yousef Al khattab]

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By Associated Press

March 25, 2003, 10:32 PM EST


OKLAHOMA CITY -- A rabbi pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges that he groped two female employees of a religious school and two girls who attended classes.

Richard Marcovitz, 66, agreed to a 20-year sentence, five of which must be served in prison, said Oklahoma County prosecutor Steve Deutsch. Marcovitz's prison time can be reduced if he successfully completes a sex offender program.

The rabbi faced five counts of indecent or lewd acts with two girls, ages 12 and 9. Six counts of sexual battery were filed against Marcovitz in connection with allegations of inappropriately touching a teacher and a daycare worker who was 17 at the time.

Jury selection for the rabbi's trial had been scheduled to begin Tuesday.

Marcovitz has been on paid leave from Emanuel Synagogue. The incidents occurred between August 2000 and May 2001 at the Solomon Schechter Academy, also called the Oklahoma City Jewish Day School. The school was based at the synagogue, but is no longer in operation.