A Brooklyn judge admitted Friday that he had been too lenient with a woman who later was one of the suspects in a horrific crash that killed a Jewish couple, the New York Daily News reported.
Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Matthew Sciarrino acknowledged having regrets after twice sending 25-year-old Zakiyyah Steward, convicted of a brazen burglary spree, into a rehabilitation program, and ignoring prosecutors requests for incarceration.
The judge’s lenient decision had fatal consequences when the suspect -while high and drunk – was involved in the fiery crash on April 4 that killed Yisroel Levin Z”L and his Kallah, Elisheva Kaplan A”H.
According to the NY Daily News the judge said:
“We were unsuccessful getting her the treatment she needs as it was detailed in these reports.”
“I’ll take the blame for giving her too many chances.”
Steward was hit with four charges, including pot possession and driving while under the influence of booze and drugs.
“The defendant was high on marijuana and drunk and driving in an extremely reckless manner that resulted in a fatal crash where two people died,” Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Robert Zweibel said.
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26 Responses
And now? The judge regrets and two families devastated for life.
Add this to the list !! Perhaps the judge child was be killed in a car crash you think he would give the same results, nah!!!! He should be ashamed of himself…
WHAT PUNISHMENT WILL THE JUDGE RECEIVE? HE BECOMES AN ACCESSORY TO VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER!!!
WHY SHOULD HE GET AWAY “SCOT FREE”? HE SHOULD GET PUNISHED IN SOME WAY – MAYBE JAIL TIME OR FIRED FROM THE BENCH SO THAT OTHERS WIL LEARN AND BE MORE CAREFULL WHEN PASSING JUDGMENT ON CRIMINALS!!!!
PS. VERY EASY TO SAY “I TAKE THE BLAME” , KNOWING THAT NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO HIM AS A CONSEQUENCE!!!!
That’s our justice system innocent people sitting where the real criminals are let out free
Take the blame what does that mean. Go to jail and spend the time she should have, pay the parents, and maybe step down for being an idiot and ultra liberal New York judge
The judge will take a the blame what, this is justice in New York at its best!!
So the judge should go to jail too
He pleaded guilty to being an accessory to a crime
Part of being a judge is determining when to be strict and when to be lenient. This judge made a mistake, and It is nice that he at least admitted his mistake.
Calm down everyone. I actually was very happy to see that this judge admitted his mistake. When was the last time we saw a judge admit a mistake like this? Usually they just keep defending themselves
Nyob ::: a mistake !!!! He shouldn’t be practicing… after this mistake. As others have said families are devastated by what happened and u say he at least admitted to the mistake. Even without proper evidence there is ways to go about it..
You cant have it both ways. If you want/expect judges to be lenient on “unzere” for horrific crimes then expect the same when its not unzere . Its as simple as that.
Ha Racheim Al Hachzorim, Sofo Laachzor Al Harachamanim
kenzain
April 15, 2018 1:39 pm at 1:39 pm
Ha Racheim Al Hachzorim, Sofo Laachzor Al Harachamanim
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You could not have said it any better.btw This concept does noy only apply to goyim.
I could understand the outrage better if the original crime she was charged with had to with a vehicular crime or drugs. It wasn’t; it was a burgualry charge. How could the judge know that she would get behind the wheel of a vehicle and drive while intoxicated? Was he too lemient? Probably, but that doesn’t make him an accessory to the crime any more than the person who supplied her with the booze and drugs.
WHY Hasn’t the Drivers been charged with Manslaughter?!?! Only charged with DWI!! That’s only 2 year jail time!! Write and call the DA!!
Reply to Takes2-2tango: The Murderer ex-Con Drunk Driver who was Speeding down the Highway blames the Victims and You repeat the Lie?!?!
Typical liberal speak, words that have no meaning, like when Hillary said after Benghazi that she takes full responsibility for what happened, did she step down from her position? did she leave politics, elected office? Of course not! So what does taking responsibility actually mean to these people? Absolutely nothing, like everything else in the world of sheker that is liberalism.
Judge Sciarrino, was appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. So much for Bloomberg’s good judgement.
The judge still doesn’t get it.
He says “we’ve been unsuccessful in getting her treatment”.
It’s not always treatment. Sometimes they just belong in jail!! Due to their crimes.
@takes2-2tango… you don’t realize how dumb you sound. For someone who has driven on that road thousands of times -all my life. It still boggles my mind how such a tragedy/crash occurred, how can you cast the blame on the deceased when there were 2 drivers well too impaired to be operating a motor vehicle let alone to be drag racing…
If the couple a”h allegedly caused the accident, T22T, then why did the assistant DA state that the defendant was “driving in an extremely reckless manner **that resulted in** a fatal crash where two people died?” (Emphasis added.) According to the prosecutor’s quote, therefore, it was the defendant and not the couple who caused the crash. Thus while our focus should still be upon self-improvement, we can still ask why wasn’t the defendant charged with manslaughter.
Takes 2 did not “blame it on the victims”
He rationally pointed out that we don’t want the judges to always throw the book at people
And forget about burglary, There have been cases of negligent vehicular homicide involving yiddisha drivers and we move mountains to keep them out of jail.
Lets not forget that l’halacha. The judge did nothing wrong all these calls for his being an accessory are asinine.
L’Halacha, a drunk driver isn’t even considered shogeg, there is no incarciration
“High on marijuana…” and we should legalize this drug for more people to be driving around impaired?!?!?!
Chevre, I think our anger and indignation is misguided. There is no reason to call anyone names. This tragedy happened for two reasons, one down here and one upstairs.
Let’s take the words of Rabbi Bender to heart and focus on fixing ourselves, and particularly our own hakaras hatov for everything we have.
In terms of Justice in this world, driving while high or drunk is not something that lands you in long term jail or a mandatory rehab program. It’s a red flag, that should set in motion certain results but the sentencing guidelines don’t call for all that much today.
The judge is being a mench. Let’s acknowledge this respectfully, work on ourselves, and lobby for a change in the legislation if needed.
“L’Halacha, a drunk driver isn’t even considered shogeg, there is no incarciration”
I am an am haharetz who has lost a parent to a drunk driver. Perhaps thats what needs to happen to some rabbeim (hVS) til they understand that getting behind the wheel of a car when you are drunk SHOULD be considered criminal and SHOULD wind up putting people in jail.
If you want stronger punishment or drunk drivers, CALL YOUR STATE ASSEMBLYMAN AND STATE SENATOR.
Stand up or be pished on.
should be “If you want stronger punishment for drunk driving”,