By Juda Englmayer
On Yom Kippur, the holiest day for those of the Jewish faith for reflection and atonement, it may seem strange to speak of provocative prosecutions and appeals. But the essence of the day is honesty, truth, and repentance — and that includes recognizing when our justice system has strayed from its purpose.
Doing wrong unto others isn’t just personal; it can also mean bearing false witness, making dangerous accusations, and putting people in prison for crimes they did not commit.
Our courts were built to deliver justice for real illegal acts — not to dole out mob justice because someone is unpopular, unconventional, or politically inconvenient.
Here are cases unfolding right now that demand attention:
Dr. Moshe Glick & the FACE Act
The U.S. Department of Justice this week filed a FACE Act civil case against the mob that blocked and harassed worshippers outside Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange, NJ — the same incident that left Dr. Moshe Glick indicted for intervening to stop a violent chokehold assault. DOJ’s filing affirms what many in the community have long said: the true violations were committed by those who threatened and obstructed Jews trying to pray, not by Dr. Glick, a dentist, father, grandfather, and Hatzalah EMT volunteer.
If you are not sure what happened that day, take 2 minutes to watch the video: https://youtu.be/OmmRkED78Us?si=rySgSWT52xDTStqe.
More will be happening soon.
The Alexander Brothers: Weaponized Justice
In Florida, newly surfaced texts show a prosecutor discussing the Alexander Brothers’ supposed political ties to Donald Trump — and hinting that was reason enough to “get them.” That is not justice; that is politics.
Meanwhile, the Ohad Fisherman case collapsed when the complaining witness admitted to a mistaken identification, and civil cases tied to the same narrative are being dismissed one by one. The cracks are showing. These prosecutions were built on poor choices and political animus, not evidence.
OneTaste: Dershowitz Sounds the Alarm
Alan Dershowitz
Alan Dershowitz this week wrote powerfully about the dangers of abusing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), calling the OneTaste case “abusive prosecution” akin to past crackdowns on Mormons and Abraham. His words underline a growing concern: prosecutors are stretching trafficking laws far beyond their intent to criminalize voluntary adult conduct.
Read it here: Dershowitz in Newsmax.
Sean Combs: Sentencing Friday, October 3
Sean Combs
Sean Combs will be sentenced Friday after a TVPA conviction that would never have stood under the Mann Act. The government leaned on the TVPA to criminalize parties that, while might be unseemly, involved adults making adult choices.
This is not about trafficking. This is about using new statutes as weapons against high-profile targets. Combs is a powerful Black mogul, and there are those who celebrate his fall for reasons having little to do with justice.
Jerry Sandusky: The Appeal Breaks Open
Frank Fina, the prosecutor of Jerry Sandusky, now COO of Pace-O-Matic, is alleged to have personally profited from the eight figure trust fund of one of his witnesses in the sandusky case.
And now, Jerry Sandusky’s long-awaited Post Conviction Relief Act appeal is about to break into national headlines. Newly discovered evidence shows the same prosecutors who put him away later took control over millions in settlement funds tied to a key accuser — raising profound questions about conflicts of interest and fairness in one of the most infamous trials of our time.
Whether one believes Sandusky guilty or not, every citizen should want a system that does not cut corners, does not profit off outcomes, and does not abandon fairness in pursuit of public applause.
Bottom line:
As we fast and atone, let’s not forget that true atonement also means refusing to stand by while justice is twisted into mob rule. These cases — Glick, the Alexanders, OneTaste, Combs, and Sandusky — are different in facts, but united in one dangerous theme: prosecutors using the law as a weapon, not a shield.
When the holiday ends, more will be happening. Be ready.
For those who are, have an easy and meaningful holiday. Best for a terrific and healthy year ahead.
