Bentzion Miller (Yerushalayim), who remains the chief suspect in the Japan ecstasy drug case, may not be compelled to stand trial. He was sent for psychiatric evaluation to permit the court to determine if he is of sound mind and responsible for his alleged actions.
Defense attorney Yair Nehorai called for the move, telling the Tel Aviv District that his client suffers from manic depression and as such, there is question as to his ability to be held accountable for his actions, accused of smuggling 90,000 ecstasy pills from Holland to Japan. Nehorai adds his client is classified as partially disabled as a result of the medication he takes to treat his illness.
Nehorai challenged Miller’s continued incarceration, explaining the harsh conditions will only serve to further exacerbate his fragile mental state. The court refused to release him along with the suspect who was set free last week, but ordered Miller to undergo psychiatric evaluation in the coming days.
The attorney representing two of the imprisoned bochrim in Japan stated that the arrest of Miller and other developments in the case shows beyond the shadow of a doubt that the boys in Japan are nothing more than naïve victims who are now paying the price for the criminal actions of others.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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8 Responses
Well, you can’t have him running around loose to destroy more people’s lives.
He was smart enough to convince his victims.
Now he is even smart enough to outsmart the judicial system.
He mighr be crazy, but he is not stupid.
Sell this manic excuse to the Japanese! Apparently he has a job at a cell phone store. So he’s not in bed all day suffering from depression. Anyway, why is depression an excuse for orchestrating a well planned drug smuggeling operation. It’s an excuse not to be able to hold a job or come to Daven, but I have a hard time buying this one. I’m not saying that miller is guilty, I’m just not buying this excuse.
He’s got for himself a great defense lawyer.
This is only a competent to stand trial phase and does not relate directly to innocence or guilt which would be an insanity defense. He may very well suffer from bipolar disorder and still be both competent to stand trial and sane; both of which are legal terms and not clinical. Most bipolars are both sane and competent especially when medicated.
If he has manic depression this can explain someone getting into something so risky. The thrill and hyper aspect of taking a risk IS induced by chemicals in the brain with someone who has episodes of mania.
This doesn’t prove that the boys were innocent. Nor do we know if they are guilty.
Who would like to start a fundraising campaign for Ben Zion Miller’s pidyon sh’vuyim legal defense?