YWN regrets to inform our readership that Michoel Yechiel ben Miriam Sorah, Martin Grossman (a bal Teshuva who put on tefillin and davened 3 times a day), was R”L executed by lethal injection just moments ago by at Florida State Prison.
A source at the Florida State Prison tells YWN that a Chabad Shliach was with Martin Grossman just prior to his execution, and recited Viduy and other Tefillos with him.
He was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Margaret “Peggy” Park, who was killed on Dec. 13, 1984.
Tens of thousand of Religious Jews had signed petitions, close to 10,000 phone calls were recorded at the Governors Office, thousands of emails were sent, and Tehiilim gatherings were held, all begging Florida Governor Charlie Crist for a 60 day stay of execution for Martin Grossman.
Sadly, the Governor refused to grant even a short meeting to the leaders of major Jewish organizations who were heavily involved in the issue (to hear their plea):
Rabbi Pesach Lerner- Young Israel
Rabbi David Zwiebel- Agudath Israel
Rabbi Steven Weil- OU
Rabbi Dovid Niederman- UJO (Satmar)
Rabbi Moshe Visel- UJCare (Satmar)
Rabbi Basil Herring- RCA
Rabbi Aaron Lipskar- Aleph Institute
Governor Crist even ignored a call for mercy by the Pope……
Arrangements are currently underway to have the body released so a proper Jewish burial can be given to him.
FURTHER DETAILS TO FOLLOW.
(Dov Gordon – YWN)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
93 Responses
Boruch Dayan Ho’emmes.
Martin is in a better world now.
Regarding Gov Crist. In the three years that this gentleman (wrong word really!!!) has been in office, he has managed to execute 5 people!
Can we have his father’s Hebrew name for Mishnayos?
When davening for a Niftar (as opposed to one in Sakana), one uses the father’s name, not the mother’s.
Baruch Dayan Haemes. If Mr Grossman was chozer betshuva which it appears, then he will be tied up in real life even after death. I think it is clear though that Governor Crist just signed the death warrant for his political career
BDH
I think the the message should be loud and clear, vote this bum (Crist) out of office!
Buroch Dain Haemes!!
My heart shatters at this terrible news. May Martim Grossman Z”L rest in peace, and be a good malitzai yosher for klall yisroel!!
Amen!!
Does anyone know what his fathers name is? So I could be lighting a candle for his nashuma?
Boruch Dayan Emes
Martin in his last month had the zechus not only of doing teshuvah but bring an achdus to klal yisroel in his support. may all our tefillos escort him before the the kisei haKavod where the true Judge no doubt will be malei rachamim
Lets all remember that T’filos are NEVER wasted. K’lal Yisroel needed these T’filos for something.
Charlie Crist is a heartless Rasha who has politics (himself) first & foremost on his mind.
May Martin, a Tinok Shenishbu, be a Meilitz Yosher for the K’lal who Davened and cried tears for him and may his Misah be a Kapara for all of us.
Re: Gov. Crist, I don’t think he will have my vote for reelection!!! I Also hope that i won’t be the only one; not to give my vote for his reelection!! I’m Sure There Will Be More People Like Me That Think Thay Way!!
RE: #2 & #4:
Ur Both 100% Right!! We All Should Vote Him Out Of Office.
Governor Charlie Crist
show details 5:31 PM (1 hour ago)
Thank you for contacting me and sharing your concerns about the execution of Martin Grossman.
On December 13, 1984, Mr. Grossman violated the terms of his probation by leaving Pasco County and having a stolen firearm in his possession. In a routine stop, Florida Fish and Wildlife Officer Margaret Park found the weapon. When she reached for the radio in her patrol car to report him, Mr. Grossman attacked her with her own large flashlight, beating her over the head and shoulders 20 to 30 times. When Officer Park tried to fight back, Mr. Grossman took her .357 Magnum revolver and shot her in the back of the head, killing her.
Mr. Grossman took several carefully planned steps to cover up this horrible crime. The weapon was buried, and Mr. Grossman attempted to burn his clothes and shoes, which were later disposed of in a nearby lake. The following day, Mr. Grossman thoroughly cleaned the van and changed its tires to mislead law enforcement.
Officer Park’s autopsy revealed lacerations on top of her head, hemorrhaging inside the scalp and extensive fracturing of the skull. All of these injuries resulted from Mr. Grossman’s attack. The facts of this crime clearly meet the definition of heinous, atrocious and cruel, and his actions afterward demonstrate his well-reasoned attempts to cover it up.
The courts have fully reviewed Mr. Grossman’s legal claims, and his conviction and sentence have been affirmed by both the Florida Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court. Based on the facts and exhaustion of legal proceedings, and in accordance with Florida law, I signed his death warrant on January 12, 2010.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Boruch Dayan Ho’emmes
2, 4, 9
why is the Gov a bum?
Didn’t he murder a cop?
This is about mercey for another Jew, Not proving antisemitism.
I feel like the Governor is really cruel. I spent days & hours writing emails,faxing and calling in ,I heard he even got more than 40,000 calls today , which didn’t even impact his decision to the slightest bit. More than 35,000 petitions were signed! Someone that is inflexible and uncompassionate like that isn’t cabable of holding a high position. What did he have to lose by giving him another day? Good Luck running for senate!
lets start learning mishnayos right away.
I do Mesechta Megillah bli neder
ברוך דין האמת
In response to holykugel, one can be pretty certain that his primary opponent Marco Rubio would have also executed him, since Rubio is running a campaign to appeal to the right-wing, which in Florida as elsewhere is very pro-death penalty.
Even someone who opposes the death penalty (which in the South would pretty much guarantee that they are a Democrat) would have probably signed Martin Grossman’s death warrant; former Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia had to respond to the fact that he personally opposes the death penalty by promising that he would faithfully execute any and all death row prisoners in line with what the law required.
BDH
should we email the governor that he is a cold blooded person and that we hope he doesn’t get re-elected or not????
The sickest thing is Park’s elderly mother who travelled all the way to Florida with son and daughter to witness the execution! Rashiim.
I agree with 7 that we must look into our own hearts and lives and try to discern why Hashem had us come together at this time to plead for this very sorry person who did commit a terrible crime. The focus on Gov. Crist is misplaced– he is just a shaliach. Hashem wants something from us, wants us to understand something at this time. These are some questions we should ask ourselves: Are we there enough for families experiencing problems, as his family did? Do we give enough support to those who are doing kiruv to our brothers in jail and other less glamorous venues? Do we see what a chilul Hashem is created when a Jew commits a crime? Do we realize what our achdus can accomplish if we set our minds to it? If nothing else, Martin Grossman, z’l, saw that he did have a very large family that really cared about him.
Baruch Dayan Emet.
As for that rasha, HKBH will see to it very soon, amen ve amen.
To Florida voters: keep this in mind when these self-proclaimed friends of Israel ask for your vote.
Barouh Dayan Haemet.
We prayed for him, may God avenge his blood
Hashem yikom et damo, we are in deep sorrow for his family, may God bless them and help them with this nissayon.
Mihael Yehiel ben Miryam Sarah is already in the Gan Eden, accepted among the Justs, may his Zekhout bring Mashiah, Amen.
From France
Since when is a Park Ranger a cop? And since when are cops more human than the rest of us?
Anyone know his father’s name? It’s appropriate to daven for his neshama now.
I emailed the governor and wrote exactly what I think of him.
I just read…
“In a final statement, Grossman expressed remorse to the family of Peggy Park, the Florida wildlife officer he beat and shot to death more than 25 years ago.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt remorse to the victim’s family,” Grossman said. “I fully regret everything that happened that night, everything that was done, whether I remember everything or not. I accept responsibility.”
“I would like to say a prayer,” the 45-year-old man added, then, lying on a gurney, hands strapped to arm boards and with needles in both arms, he began reciting a Jewish prayer called the Schma.
It is the most sacred prayer in Judaism and the first prayer that Jewish children learn. Among its verses: “The Lord is our God, God is one.”
Lessons learnt from this tragedy
1. we need more unity
2. the importance of torah education
3. some politicians have to much power & to little heart
From: Chaim Dovid Zwiebel
Agudath Israel of America | 42 Broadway 14th floor | New York | NY | 10004
Boruch Dayan Ha’emes.
I am writing to share with you the sad news that Martin Grossman, Michoel Yechiel ben Avrohom, olov hasholom, was executed this evening in Florida.
It would be understandable for any of us to feel not only sorrow but frustration that all our efforts didn’t result in the result for which we were mispallel.
But I personally choose, even amid the pain and sorrow, to focus on the tremendous ahavas Yisroel, shtadlonus and achdus that was demonstrated by our tzibbur over recent days. I want to personally thank all of you who telephoned Governor Crist’s office, or sent him e-mails and faxes, or participated in the ultimate act of ahavas Yisroel: tefilla on a brother’s behalf. Your reaction to the impending tragedy was remarkable. May it stand as a zechus for his neshoma, and for all of Klal Yisroel, and hasten bi’as go’el tzedek, b’mheira biyomeinu.
Chaim Dovid Zwiebel
Does anyone notice that in the governor’s response, he doesn’t address any of the points mentioned in the petitions? Instead, he answers to week points that nobody actually brought up.
Boruch Dayan Ha’emes.
I’m grateful for the hishtadlus that I put in. This was not about success, which was, unfortunately, never likely, but about doing our part, which is all the Ribbono Shel Olam ever expects of us.
We should never be faced again with having to deal with a fellow Yid on deathrow.
I really cant put my true sentiments in writing because this is a public forum, likely censored by more than the YWN editors, vehamayvin yavin. May the Reshoim behind this horrible perpetration of injustice – of the worst kind, have a EDITED BY MODERATORS Amein”!! As far as his next run for public office or anything else, as the Brooklynites say, fuhgeddaboutit…
I can’t believe some of the stuff I’m reading here.
#17 “The sickest thing is Park’s elderly mother who travelled all the way to Florida with son and daughter to witness the execution! Rashiim.”
CHAS V’SHOLOM IF IT WAS YOUR KID WHO WAS MURDRED, I think you’d be calling the killer a rasha. BTW you expect the world to have rachmonos but how would you feel if the killer were a religious goy? Well, that’s how the velt feels about Grossman Z”L. If the victim was a yid you’d all be screaming for the death penalty!
#20 “May G-d avenge his blood” Are you sick. It looks like G-d avenged Park’s blood! What a sick distorted comment. It’s not like we’re dealing with Nazis here.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
Anyone who would like to do something liluy Nishmas Martin Grossman should look at the new website for The Neshamah Project. They have a lot of good ideas there.
Good evening to all but Jewish brothers america I live in France is my cousin consseiller main Israeli Prime Minister although I do not know my aunt know I am aware depuuis February 13 in case I want a crossman réagire that mr chrit and for me no better than a Nazi in France people are actually worse than her and they never kill already in Israel when the grand rabbi of Israel a hero was killed by a Jewish on’a not kill that celuis ‘he would kill so I already say that mr christ is not better than a Nazi and deserves no respect from me or the Jews in America and try to understand why after 25 years in prison condemnation has death penalty he can to enjoy the show are rascime? Has he take that obama is in power to do what he wants entouca I hope that AIPAC will inform and mr christ will take a severe correction in the next election and as I say every time I but mr christ before achem entouca whole commaunauter Jew in France from Belgium and knowledgeable and very very angry cons entouca mr christ that’s one thing mr grossman it goes directly to heaven without trial because he too was assassinated by mr christ against him he will have hell that will end his life because in the Torah it is written that it is forbidden to avenge entouca on’oublie not crossman and say something mashiah will be there when we meet again entouca rasdioshalom achem Repossi and soul are made one Kadich Enmene for him and in the land of Israel !!!!!!
Dear #29 I never noticed good people cheering (jews and decent non-jews) not even when Eichmann was hanged. Did you?
#16 i think everyone should email and call the governer YIMACH SHMO and tell him its a shame how he will be remebered in history as a cold hard unheartfull person that could’nt even grant a rabbis meating& that g-d pays back
Sorry the comment was intended for #30
As hard as it is to admit. I absolutely agree with #30. If this was a thug or a devout ____ (fill in the blank) we’d be cheering on the governor and saying what a tzadik he is. Elef alafim, if the victim was a Jew and certainly a frum Jew.
This doesnt minimize what we did and our responsibility to try and save our brother; but these harsh posts against the gov and system may very well be hypocritical if we look deeper into ourselves.
What if this murderer had murdered the Rebbe? Some other Jew of higher social standing? What if he had murdered any Jew, and not just some shiksa park ranger? Would you all be squalling and bawling over his execution then?
Good thing he wasn’t a convert! I SHUDDER to think how fast the rabbis would be invalidating his conversion then. Do you think they’d even wait 5 minutes after his conviction? Indictment? Accusation?
Remember when the yeshiva boy was murdered by a black thug in Crown Heights a few years ago? Remember how Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and all other black thugs sprang to the murderer’s defense? Was that okay? No? Well then why is THIS okay?
Answer: It’s not. You are all being bigoted and I’m ashamed to be a part of you. Not to mention that when you circle the wagons around a rasha just because he’s a Jew, it makes gentiles distrust all of us. Nice work.
Somewhere, there are children without a mother; grandchildren without a grandmother; a husband without a wife. All because of this Martin Grossman rasha. Don’t forget that.
The only reason to condemn the governor is if he made this decision cavalierly, but if he gave it any serious thought, and still came to this conclusion, as sad as it is…well, read Rabbi Shmuel Bloom’s column in Yated a few weeks ago about acting prudently and kavod hamemshala.
Bassy: a jew that murders a jew is chayav misa, but in this case he is not. Even if he had indeed premeditated the crime, which he didn’t (and remember she shot at him first). Bassy, go ahead and tell the Torah it is hypocritical and bigoted. I am helpless about it.
By the way, it is interesting what you say about gentiles. In those few days I have been overwhelmed by Gentiles who did their best to help. Anyone with a sense of justice understands the difference between a fair trial and a mockery of justice, and anyone with minimal knowledge in criminal law is aware that the average sentence for such offences is much, much lighter than the 25 years he already served.
Baruch Dayan Haemes. What I just can’t get over is the fact that the officer’s parents came to florida just to witness his execution! It makes me sick! He may have been a rasha before, but not anymore! O.K. he might have killed their daughter, but he repented for god sakes! I don’t know about you all but I don’t want to see a good person die especially if he is in the middle of turning over a good leaf. Let him finish!
#37 I think you should check your lineage, since you lack rachmanus, it is obvious… perhaps Amon or Moav? yes, you’d fit right in…
SDR…unfortunately, you and a few others have a VERY distorted idea of what justice is!!! From what you write it is obvious that ur concept of justice is Revenge!! well let me tell you s/t…revenge us not a toradik concept nor should is it a legal concept. rehabilitation and compensation are concepts rooted in legal system…so if s/o steals A. He must be rehabilitated by either asuffering consequences if sitting in jail or going to psychward and B. The victim needs to be compensated for monetary loss and possible trauma. Now you can’t bring back to life a victim nor can u properly compensate for it! What u can do is make sure criminal is put away so he won’t harm public further. You can rehabilitate him so he can become a productive member of society. And you can demand that his daily activities be limited i.e sit in jail for life to deal with consequences if ur actions. HOWEVER, taking away his life is neither rehabilitation nor compensation… Cuz what does the victim family get from it? not their lost one back! Only one thing: Revenge… You killed her so we kill you! that will still not bring her back nor will it rehabilitate anyone…and Chad veshalom if the victim wud have been a family member… I would never ask for the criminal’s death… Not my job to play G-d nor will I want to watch execution!!!
Daniela, there are people who are against capital punishment and that is what motivates them to help any and all murderers on death row. I’ll bet those gentiles on your team were activists. That is NOT why so called Orthodox Jews here on this forum got behind Martin — they got behind him ONLY BECAUSE HE IS A JEW. That is wrong, plain and simple.
You conveniently ignored my comment about the Rebbe or the black thugs who murdered the innocent yeshiva boy. Furthermore, for your education, a park ranger IS an arm of law enforcement. They carry firearms, after all. If she pulled her gun on him, I’m sure it was for very good reason. Nonetheless, he BEAT her in the head and then covered up the evidence! So much for being low IQ. He was certainly smart enough to cover his tracks and burn his bloody clothing.
And Chushuva yid, do you hear yourself???? “Okay, he might have killed their daughter . . . ”
Um, yeah, and Hitler mighta killed a few million Jews . . .
How do you like the sound of that? I’ll bet you don’t.
#41, holykugel, I think perhaps it is you who should check your lineage.
Does this sound familiar?
“If you are merciful to the cruel, you will end up being cruel to the merciful.”
My mercy is where it belongs: with the park ranger’s family and loved ones.
Boruch Dayan Haemes!
We must remember that we are really in golus. Ivan the terrible,who murdered and tortured tens of thousands of jews enjoyed a tranquil life on American soil and was not sentenced to death. We must remember that our only protection is Torah and Mitzvos and not depend on anyone but Hashem. May we be zoche to the geula sheleima bimheira biyameinu Amen!
#43 Yes indeed, I checked my lineage, and since it is in line (in reference to Martin Grossman BDH) with virtually every Rav in America from Chasidic to Litvish, I stand comfortably amongst them, you however….
#42, I wouldn’t like the sound of that if only they weren’t TOTALLY DIFFERENT CASES! HITLER DIDN’T DO TESHUVA!
Many activists against death penalty have of course helped. But you would be incorrect in thinking that all the people who find this revolting are either jewish or against death penalty altogether. This poor soul with an IQ of 77 and bad legal defense was minced by the legal system. You should have a look at a few similar cases that were properly defended. A criminal lawyer who is worth his salt would have brought this case to a very different outcome, and in fact, they do all the time. (Question: why did he not have good legal assistance? How comes that a Jew does not feel comfortable in calling a jewish lawyer, or a rabbi, even if he is not observant, and receive help? This is something to think about very hard). Now let’s picture this episode in the middle east, with a jew who is scared of an arab who is actually harmless, and kills him before realizing there was a misunderstanding and that person was not a threat. It happens with some frequency and usually the penalty is a fine. You find that hypocritical too? Let’s go farther, suppose a Jew who takes a wrong turn and finds himself where he should not be, and gets stopped by a PA officer for some puny offence to the PA regulations. The PA officer refuse the pleas to let him go (as of course the consequences of a trial would be disproportionate to the violation) calls for other police on the radio and does not think twice about shooting at the jew, who is mobility impaired but much bigger and wrestles away the weapon and finishes the officer. Then of course after realizing the person is dead, gets scared and hides the body. You tell me: you would have this person executed as well? Speak about hypocrisy! By the way when some nonjewish idiots violently attacked the policemen of their own idiotic and nonjewish government (which also put at risk the safety of jews there) there were people (yidden) all over the place asking for signatures about it! To support the nonjews protesting and attacking the nonjewish policemen! and making riots all over the streets! Oh the irony. And it was not that long ago.
In regards to the difference if a Jew had been killed, that is the halacha. You have to bring your complaints to the Torah.
Crist:HE WAS THE DECIDER, AND HE MADE THE DECISIONS.
Wow! I can’t believe some of you truly are missing the point. Sympathy, not sympathy, cruelty to whom or what? Don’t you get anything at all? Have you asked yourself what Hashem wants from you or you are just using this forum to post your opinions? Fact is, a Jewish soul is a Jewish soul, no matter how far the person has strayed. Even Hashem will take you back with open arms if you have committed the gravest sins and then done teshuvah–which is the exact case here. Instead of bickering and destroying any nachas Hashem may have had from our achdus thus far, do some thing to give the neshama an aliyah and feel some sorrow over all the lost neshamas that Hashem mourns as well, they are all his children. How would you feel if they were yours?
Daniela, I never said the death penalty was applied fairly or consistently. We know that it is not. We know that worse murderers than Martin Grossman have gotten lighter sentences. To bring justice into alignment, we don’t let more murderers live or go free — we execute more murderers. Instead of protesting the execution of this murderer, we should be working to see to it that more murderers are brought to justice so that our children and our communities can be SAFE.
As a citizen, I don’t care whether the murderer who takes my daughter is an idiot, a retard, a teenager, or whatever, he is a danger and he must be removed from society. Furthermore, Martin was of legal age (so hardly a child) and he was certainly not as stupid as people make him sound. Did he repent? NONE OF YOU know that he did. Only Hashem can know that. But of course, we know that most prisoners put on a good act because they will do anything to get out of the slammer or out from under the ax.
I’m sure there are many gentile murderers of Jews who have “repented.” Did you start petitions to save them from execution as well? Or are you saying that a Jewish life is more valuable than a gentile life? Are you saying that Jews are above the law?
Saying that Jews are above the law is the worst chillul Hashem and it WILL bring bad things upon the Jewish people. How can we be a light unto the nations when we protect our murderers from justice? When we make light of the suffering and sorrow of innocent goyim? Please God, I hope no gentile finds this page of comments!
And please, quit hiding behind your twisted perception of the Torah. Martin Grossman is a murderer. WHERE is your compassion for the family of Peggy Park? It’s shocking, really.
Bassy,
What is your point, one of our own Jewish brothers is dead tonight and we yidden are mourning!!! Yes, he committed a crime but he was a different person then. As a baal teshuva, I had an abortion when I was twenty (before I became frum) and could not forgive myself for the next twenty years, until a very choshev Rebbitzen told me — you are no longer the same person, for all intents and purposes the person who had the abortion no longer exists. Martin Grossman who committed the murder reformed himself and cleaned up his act, AND he served 25 years in prison. Anyway……………….Blessed is the True Judge!
It is over. Go have a lechaim that a yiddishe neshama was just killed by the state of Florida, you heartless person! Your concern SHOULD be with Martin Grossman, YES, because he is a YID and and a Yiddishe neshama is HOLY, and a part of Hashem. What can anyone tell you??? You feel sorry for the victim’s family??? You are misguided. How can a Jew not feel pain tonight. I CAN BARELY MOVE! IT IS SUCH A DARK DAY IN THE DARKEST GOLUS.
perhaps we should also pardon nazis who have been rehabilitated.
53, now go channel this energy to daven for others who need it. You can start with Gilad ben Aviva.
to bassy
i am crying not only over martin but mainly over the galus that we are in. The fact that another jew can be so cold blooded to a fellow yid (your yetzer hora named it justice) is very distressing. The reason for your treife hashkafah is the bad influence from the media. please post your full hebrew name so that we can daven for you – you should do teshuva and come back to your roots.
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/martin-grossman#post-119462
potsandpans,
You state:
“revenge [i]s not a toradik concept nor should is it a legal concept”
FYI the Torah does employ the death penalty in many situations. Mechallal Shabbos w/ 2 witnesses and proper warning = DEATH, cheat on your husband aidim haasrah = DEATH. Ben sorerr u moreh = DEATH and yes if you murder someone = DEATH
“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man will his blood be shed, for in the image of G-d He created man” (Bereashis 9:6)”etc…..
BTW revenge = punishment. Both Torah and civil law clearly support various forms of punishment, including DEATH. The Torah however places limits on capital punishment with meticulous application of rules governing admissibility and sufficiency of evidence.
Did Grossman deserve death al pi halacha? No, but we’re in golus and the USA is a tremendous malchus of chessed. If the idiots crying anti-semitism don’t like it, go try living in the Ukraine, Lithunia, Poland etc… or any Arab stateand then tell me what anti semitism is.
Did he even deserve to die under civil law? The Florida courts agree that he did. Do I think the frum community rallying around a fellow yid in his time of need is wrong? Absolutely not! In fact, I thinks 50,000 letters faxes etc… to the Gov. was a tremendous kiddush hashem and showed tremendous achdus. Mi Kamcha Yisroel. May the neshama Michoel Yechiel ben Miriam Sorah have a kapara and may we be governed once again by Sanhedrim b’Yerushaliyim b’meheira b’yomeinu.
hashem is the dayan hemes. not crist and not nobody. dont forget hashem runs the world.
bassy,
you are absolutely correct. it is very sad to see the jewish community blind to everything other than the fact that this murderer happened to be a jew. i wonder if a christian murderer repented, would they feel the same way? you give excellent examples. stand your ground.
Bassy as I already wrote you have to bring your complaints to the Torah. I am unaware of gentile murderers of Jews who repented (please send me the list) in fact I am not aware altogether of murderers of Jews who get the death penalty, which in Israel has been applied only once. I am not sure I’d sign for anyone but sure i signed for some despicable people (what about Paula Cooper?) because I thought that, everything considered, they did not deserve to die. Please post the list of those repented murderers of Jewish people that are at risk of being executed and I will consider it. Or is that list empty, by any chance?
I will refrain from commenting on the remarks about killing teenagers and challenged people and on enjoying watching another person being killed, which comments itself and it really should not be on a mourning page.
By the way, when it is a non jew, I try to help. All human lives are precious. But when it is a holy jew, I am obligated to help.
May Hashem have rachmanus on him.
nebach, my heart is crying
baruch dayan haemes
I daven that the Ribono Shel Olam should never be put another Yid in such a situation
To all Posters that say good riddance you should feel very lucky Hashem judges with more Rachamim then you. BTW this is the same legal system where dozens of inmates on death row have been wrongly convicted(for some the exoneration was to late), and the same legal system that let OJ simpson go.
I don’t know how I would feel if the victim were a loved one and may none of us ever know. However, there have been many situations over the years where family members have been able to forgive their loved one’s murderer and believe that life in prison is sufficient.
I feel so touched that he said shema before he died. 🙁
First of all ain adam mesim atzmo rasha. So big deal if he admitted the crime. He was drugged maybe the gun went off by accident in the sruggle and the police convinced him he shot her. Maybe the other guy lied. Al pi shenayim eidim and they don’t have two witnesses. Secondly nobody can tell me the jury and judge weren’t anti-semitic.Thirdly you already tortured the guy for twenty five years and he was sentenced to one death not twenty five deaths. Fourthly this penalty is in force to disuade others from killing. Jews have the lowest murder rate of any ethnic group in the country so you don’t have to convince jews not to kill. And fifth he is a baal teshuva. So what’s the point?
One of the prime reasons states have death penalties at all, is as a deterrent to murder. It would have been expected that states that have the death penalty would have lower murder rates than states that don’t. However study after study by scientists and leading criminologists reveal that this is not the case. In fact the data shows that death penalty states do not have lower homicide rates than states that have abolished capital punishment.
Martin Grossman had an IQ of 77. That means that his mental age was 4 years and 7 months old.
The Supreme Court in 2002 banned the execution of mentally retarded inmates with IQs of 70 or below in Atkins v. Virginia, 01-8452.
As a result a number of inmates throughout the country with IQ’s in the mentally retarded range had their death sentences commuted.
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/sentence-reversals-mental-retardation-cases
In fact in FL, as a result of Atkins v. Virginia, three inmates have had their death sentences reduced when experts found them to be mentally retarded, in similar intelligence rangse to that of Martin Grossman but of course none of the other inmates were Jewish.
Would you feel the same if the prisoners name was Jose Rodrguez, Tyrone Washington, Vito Jaquarino, or Ian McGilacutty? Perhaps it’s time for all of you death penalty advocates to rexamine your position. The plethora of prosecutororial misconduct, tainted evidence, refusal to consider new DNA evidence, and suspect or coerced prosocution witnesses, have turned me from a staunch death penalty advocate to an equally staunch death penalty opponent. As for your political donations, candidates for poltiical office change their positions as often as you change your socks. If you’re wondering where to donate your money, The Innocence Project would be a good place to start. They have mannaged to prove the innocence of many prisoners on death row
I feel very bad for this poor yosom who got killed today 🙁 May hasham avenge his blood and bring his family comfort. Nisturim Darkei Hashem.
May his Nasamah rest in peace in Gan Edan as he defiantly paid for his sins.
here is the “malchis shel chased” for you. hashem yinkom dumoi!!!
BD”E
No Tefilah is wasted, the tefilos & petitions [hishtadlus] that the klall did on his behalf with guidence of Gedolei Yisroel, will be a zechus for his neshoma, and for others who need them.
Now how about doing something for some one you know, who doesn’t have it easy.
Red A shiduch, phone someone who lives by themselves or take your children over for a visit. Be moichel someone, be nice to the people you see daily, help them give them moral support or charity. Remember charity starts at home, Shulchan Aruch also says so.
#60 bec, thanks. It is so disheartening to see so many “Torah” Jews coldly callous to the murder and suffering of a gentile woman who did not deserve to die.
For all those who think you should be championing this killer, don’t you study Talmud? Don’t you know that in fact, we are supposed to be even MORE CAREFUL with a gentile life, precisely so that we do not bring the wrath of the gentiles upon us?
How do you think your dramatic hysterics on this board and elsewhere would be viewed by gentile readers? And what do you think the ultimate consequence would be to you, your neighborhood, your precious Jewish children if word got out that religious Jews think a murderering Jew is “holy” while an innocent officer of the law is not?
Daniela, I live in Israel half of the year, Jerusalem to be exact. I am a religious Zionist (oh no! I’m sure I will be cursed by some segments of this board even more now). I know all about the PA. Your example is not analagous because last I heard, park rangers were not at war with semi-retarded drugged up teenagers in a land dispute over park grounds. Martin had NO reason to fear that this park ranger would take his life. None whatsoever. If he was afraid his parole violations would be discovered, he could have taken the gun he wrestled from her and run away with it. Instead, he chose to beat her about the head and then shoot her. Two large males against a single female? I kind of doubt he was afraid for his life. I cannot BELIEVE you are trying to paint this as a self-defense situation. It is nothing at all like a Jewish Israeli finding himself in Pali territory and arrested by a Pali Jew-hater.
This has gone over the bounds and has become a game of proving each other wrong. I refuse to continue that game while we should ALL be mourning. You are repeating your arguments in order to convince yourself and others of the truth of them. Oh by the way, last time I checked, Esav hates Yaakov.
everybody bashing all the unconditional support RABBI grosman got from his yiddish brothers, just remember this, giving Rabbi grossman the extra 2 months when you have a good constitutional lawyer ready to take the case claiming, he can prove that according to law this man cannot be executed. Giving this no NO consideration, giving the plea of 50,000 plus emails, phone calls, petitions, faxes. And you cant have the courage to give him 1 more chance of appeal,????? COLD BLOODED MURDERERS! and cannot be supported. may hashem avenge his death! YES!
1. According to the torah, murder is punishable by death, only in the case of 2 witnesses & a warning. Furthermore according to the Talmud a court (of 23 judges) that executed more than once in seventy years was considered trigger happy.
2. Yes Grossman committed a despicable crime, but for 25 years in jail his conduct has been excellent. Inmates with such a record usually get their sentence commuted, and don’t go back to their old ways.
3. Have you noticed that most executed people are poor but a rich boxer can break into a house commit a well planned double murder & get away without a day in jail because he can buy his freedom (pay for expensive attorneys)
Yeah justice is blind it doesn’t see the facts
Daniela says “Oh by the way, last time I checked, Esav hates Yaakov.”
Okey dokey then, you just admitted you are a bigot who justifies your hatred of gentiles based upon Esav and what he represents. I suspected as much but you confirmed it.
Per the Rambam the melech set up his own courts, and these courts were able to kill without eidim and haasraoh. See also the gamara’s in sanhedrin about “machnisim tachas kipps” when they didn’t have 2 eidim – called “eidus meyuchedes”
We need rachamei shamayim in America! Would Pollard or Rubashkin receive the same sentence if they wouldn’t be Jewish? How about the murderer of Ari Halbarstam ( FBI claiming it was road rage) & Meir Kahana ( only convicted for shooting the cop )
I’m not about to give p’sak halacha. However, a few points:
Firstly: I am appalled by the arguments above. It has been written that Martin Grossman a”h’s case and petira brought together many, many Yidden. Fighting now, name calling, insulting – will NOT bring an aliya to his neshoma! Please stop it!
Secondly: whatever the case is, he was a Yid. A Yid is a Yid is a Yid. Justice is up to HaShem; we have an obligation to save a Yid.
Thirdly: those who wrote about doing things l’iluy nishmoso are right on target. Think! He has no children, very little family – not like someone with many children and grandchildren who bring zechusim to their ancestors every day. We have to do our part for him. Even if it’s one thing – do something! Again: the point is not to debate whether or not the punishment was right. The point is that a Yid was niftor and we need to help him.
Fourthy; AIN LONU AL MI L’HISHO’AIN ELA AL AVINU SHEBASHOMAYIM. Especially going into Purim . . . Mordechai and Esther didn’t help us. They were the shelichim – but it was the tefillos and teshuva of Klal Yisroel that saved us.
Again – please stop fighting! Please! We’re all upset – and deep down, it’s because we just lost one of our brothers.
#58 SDR ( btw i apologize for spelling mistakes as I was typing from a touch screen before)
Sanhedrin did not execute pp out of revenge…it wasn’t out of anger that the person committed a crime so “we’r out to get you”. Sanhedrin fulfilled ratzon Hashem by executing because it would be a Kapara for the sinner! and the Torah, that recognized human nature, knows that a cold blooded murderer is more apt to commit the crime again, so the sanhedrin is protecting his olam haba by removing him in this world! mefarshim bring this down. In no way is this an act of revenge or a way to satisfy the victim’s family etc in fact Gemara tells us, a Sanhedrin that upheld an execution in seven years or even in seventy years was scorned as a bloody court!! they did everything they could to find a leinency or a circumstance why they would not have to kill the person! as far as i recollect: in 80 years only 1 person was put to death!
now how can you even compare such bais din to civil law?
its all about the victims family watched in satisfaction as the criminal is put to “justice”, its a the satisfaction of revenge!
and you say according to the law he was found guilty? well thats open to interpretation because following the crime, Martin had a public state lawyer do an aweful job representing his case…things like his unstable state of mind, low IQ, influence of drugs and alcohol…seem to be brushed under the carpet!!
im not saying he deserved to go free…but definitely not execution!!!! just recently there was an african american robber who killed a Jewish jeweler in cold blood…he got life in prison eventhough he had no mental handicap and no mitigating circumstances!! is this what you call fair? is this what you compare to sanhedrin??
sorry i should have been more clear about the following statement…i meant to write that “it wasn’t out of anger they executed pp that since the person committed a crime so “we’r out to get you”.
#8 and #74 are right. Tefilos are never wasted.
#19 is also right. Hashem wants something from us.
Martin Grossman (Michoel Yechiel ben Avrohom) spent 25 years in jail.
We can’t bring him back.
#81 mentions Pollard, Rubashkin and others.
Jonathan Pollard (Yehonoson ben Malka) is STILL in jail
(also about 25 years).
He is a living Jew.
Let’s now focus on him with the same effort, if not more.
#53, make the sorrow count. Do something for LIVING Jews such as
Pollard and, as #55 points out, Gilad ben Aviva.
The names Gilad ben Aviva (Shalit) and Yehonoson ben Malka (Pollard)
need to be part of us. Channel the feelings.
First of all since he died being a true bal teshuva his death, together with the ysurim he suffered for 25 years! in jail will be a compleate kaporoh for his past sins and he will be zoceh to gan eden. He will havethe zechus IYH to be buried like a frum yi. All the tefillos for him wll be used for a zechus for klal yisroel and he himself will be mailitz yosher for all those who put in an effort on his behalf. May we be zocheh to hear only good news from here on.
תהא נשמתו צרורה בצרור החיים וינוח בשלום על משכבו עד תחית המתים בקרוב
We should not even be mentioning those family of reshaim (did you read what the the deceased officer used to say about animals?) and the bad person who executed the decree. They are all despicable people that will get their retribution, or are already getting it. Also, while the declarations of his accomplice have been despicable and have caused a precious life to be destroyed – and I expect him to come forward with a new version very soon – they were extorted from him under circumstances which are very heavy to bear.
There was an incomprehensible decree. We have been privileged to witness something very special. I am in awe of the soul of Michael Yechiel.
Reshaim? The woman whose daughter was slaughtered by this freak? What are you smoking Daniela?
From “Hakhel”:
Based upon all of the tefillos and hishtadlus of the tens of thousands of individuals and dedicated tzibbur the world over, it would seem to have been Derech HaTeva for Michoel Yechiel Grossman’s a’h life to have been spared–at least for now. Hashem, for reasons known only to Him did not will it, and the unworthy puppets below performed. To put matters in further perspective, for those who did not immediately turn there for guidance, we reprint below Day 77 in the daily program of Praying With Fire, the monumental work by Rabbi Heshy Kleinman, Shlita (Artscroll, footnotes have been omitted):
“Sometimes, unfortunately, despite sincere prayers, a seriously ill family member or close acquaintance passes away. There is a natural tendency in such a situation to feel that one’s prayers were for naught. However, according to the Steipler Gaon, comfort should be drawn from the knowledge that our prayers do have a significant effect; the prayers remain a source of merit because through them, Heavenly compassion was aroused. These merits will stand by the departed in the World to Come and may also protect their children in the future.
“These prayers may also bring salvation to other individuals and to the community as a whole. At the End of Days, when all will be revealed, we will see the redeeming power of each and every tefillah that has ever been prayed.
“When Rav Shneur Kotler, Rosh Yeshivah of Beis Medrash Gavoha of Lakewood, was suffering from his terminal illness, a group of his students and admirers journeyed to Bnei Brak, Israel, to implore the Steipler Gaon to intensify his prayers on Rav Shneur’s behalf. They confided to the Steipler that they were discouraged because prayers were pouring from tens of thousands of Jewish hearts, yet the Rosh Yeshivah’s condition continued to decline.
“The Steipler responded, ‘Do not be dismayed. There is no such thing as a sincere prayer that goes unanswered. Any heartfelt request addressed to G-d must be answered. It cannot be otherwise. If it is not answered today it will be answered tomorrow. If not tomorrow it will be answered in a week. If not in a week, in a month. If not answered in a month, it may be answered in a year, or in ten years, or in one hundred years or more. If your prayers are not answered in your lifetime, they will be answered for your children or for your children’s children. We cannot say for sure when a prayer will be answered, but we can rest assured that every prayer will be answered somehow, someday.’ Rav Shimshon Dovid Pincus, Shlita, explains that while each prayer evokes a corresponding reply from Heaven, Hashem alone perceives a situation in its full complexity. One cannot always understand the logic or justice in His response. Seemingly unanswered prayers are sometimes like the rain and snow. They appear to sink out of sight, accomplishing nothing, but in fact, they saturate the Heavens just as rain saturates the earth and brings forth its blessings. The bounty of Heaven, just like the bounty of earth, waits for its proper season.
“Only Hashem knows when that season will be. For example, a loved one might be involved in a serious accident, G-d forbid. Nobody in the family knows of the accident as the ambulances race to the scene. No one is there to pray while the victim hangs tenuously onto life. In such a case, Rav Pincus says, Hashem “takes out” a heartfelt prayer that a family member uttered years ago–a prayer that was unanswered at the time–and showers its merit upon the current situation. That prayer, held in reserve for so long, may now become the injured person’s salvation.
“Reuven is a confident, energetic little boy who runs everywhere he goes. One morning, his mother calls him to come downstairs for breakfast, and he dashes to the stairs in his typical, high-speed style. This time, however, he trips on his shoelace and begins a headlong descent down the stairs. His mother hears the child’s startled shout and then the sickening thump-thump of his body landing heavily on step after step. She runs to the scene just as he crashes to the floor. He lies perfectly still for a moment, and her heart fills with cold fear. Just as she approaches him, he begins to move. He gets up, adjusts his rumpled shirt, collects his yarmulke and says, ‘What’s for breakfast?’
“The boy’s mother has prayed many times for many things, and sometimes, her prayers were not answered as she had hoped. At this moment, however, she can appreciate that not one word has gone to waste.
“We pray for certain aspects of good to come into our lives, yet we have no real way of knowing if our vision of good is accurate from the true perspective of Heaven. The man praying to meet his household’s expenses may always have to struggle for money, but his prayers might keep his children securely upon the path of Torah. The couple praying for children may not ultimately succeed in their quest, but the merit of their prayers may help save their entire community from some terrible decree.
“We do not always know what good a prayer will bring. We do know, however, that all sincere prayer is answered with good.”
I’m sorry but I completely disagree with those of you who have or plan to contact the governor to express your feelings at this point. This can only lead to more chillul Hashem.
PLEASE refrain from contacting him.
He made a choice. He based his decision on what HE perceived as the right thing to do, as what he believes to be what HIS laws tell him to do. HE did NOT do anything wrong per se. YES he should have heeded our pleads and requests for clemency, but we simply cannot expect rachmanut from him as a goy. At this point our job as Torah Jews is to accept the outcome as a decree of Hashem. We did what we could but Hashem willed this to happen. May the years of Martin’s a”h suffering and his unjust death serve as a kapara for the sin he committed so long ago as a young and troubled man.
CHUSUVEYID… i think you should change your user name… your comment is so cold and uncaring(not a Jewish trait).. and to everyone that had a negative comment on the Parks or made Martin Grossman a saint… WHAT IF HE HAD KILLED YOUR DAUGHTER? anyone signing the petitions, making phone calls or comments should think of that first if you still come up with the same conclusion please feel free to share it but I have a feeling if you put yourself in the Park’s shoes for one minute…. to go to sleep every night of your life knowing that your precious child was brutally murdered……..
To all concerned:
Please keep in mind that while we may have opposing viewpoints on this issue, we should keep our expressions towards each other completely respectful. Each person has the right to express their opinion and receive feedback in a manner that does not insult. We owe this to the memory of Michoel Yechiel ben Avrohom not to use this blog as a platform to create machlokes. The unity that we as a diverse community displayed between all diverse groups with differing religious practices and minhagim should stand in Michoel Yechiel ben Avrohom’s good stead, and ultimately in ours as a klall. Only when this happens, and we avoid hateful remarks towards each other, can we expect to see a modicum of peace from without; the non-Jewish community towards us. Let us not destroy the unity that was created with our tefilos on Mr. Grossman’s behalf, thereby undoing the good the greater Jewish community has accomplished. Particularly before Purim we need complete unity. We have enough strife from without that we do not have to add internal hatred. The comments thus far are anything but a kiddush Hash-m. This includes the remarks directed towards Governor Crist. As angry as some might be towards the governor, we will do well to remember that Hash-m commanded Moshe Rabbeinu to show respect to Paroh. Please remember: RESPECT.
#90 is 100% correct.
Contacting the governor
is most likely to cause Chilul Hashem.
Michoel Yechiel ben Avrohom (Martin Grossman)
murdered a 26 year old whom Hashem put into
this world.
He spent 25 years and a bit more (“26” … think about that number: Hashem’s name!) paying for what he did.
Now he enters above having FULLY done Teshuva.
As for us, let’s approach Purim with true Ahavas Yisroel.
Ish Lerayahu.
May we know of no further such sorrow.
** P.S.
Don’t forget about
Yonoson ben Malka (Pollard) and Gilad ben Aviva (Shalit).