Prosecutors Ask For Delay In Case Against Rabbi Freundel
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) -- A rabbi accused of secretly videotaping women in a ritual bath is back in court. Rabbi Barry Freundel, who taught at Towson University, faces six counts of voyeurism.
Now, the U.S. Attorney's Office has started to notify some victims that they have been spotted in the videos.
Meghan McCorkell has more on the case against Freundel.
Prosecutors asked for a delay in the case against Freundel as they sort through mounting evidence.
Rabbi Barry Freundel leaves a D.C. courthouse. He is accused of secretly recording women in a ritual bath known as a mikvah using a hidden camera in a clock radio.
Protestors gathered outside Friday's hearing.
"We can't proceed until we know at least how many victims are out there, how many charges and what exactly happened," said Carly Pildas, #SafeMikvah
The U.S. attorney has recently started identifying the women in those tapes.
"Prosecutors describe a mountain of evidence they are going through," said Steve Kelly, attorney.
Kelly, who represents alleged victims in a lawsuit, says several of his clients have been notified they are on video.
"It creates a lot of other anxieties and questions for them. What was done with the video? Who saw it? Was it distributed in any way?" said Kelly.
The victims have filed suit against the mikvah, Kesher Israel Synagogue, the Rabbinical Council and Georgetown Law School, where Freundel taught classes. He was also a tenured professor at Towson University, where he ran frequent class trips to the mikvah.
Freundel was suspended from all activities at Towson after he was arrested in October. At least one Towson student has joined the lawsuit. Kelly says it's likely the university will be named as a defendant.
"At a minimum, they will be brought into the case into the discovery process and asked a lot of tough questions," Kelly said.
Freundel will be back in court next month.
Rabbi Freundel was fired from his job at Kesher Israel Synagogue, effective Jan. 1.
The U.S. Attorney's Office has set up a website to help alleged victims find out if they are in those videotapes.