New Square Teen Gets Prison In Burning Of Aron Rottenberg
NEW CITY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A teenager has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a firebomb attack that badly burned a neighbor during a religious dispute in a Jewish enclave in Rockland County.
Shaul Spitzer of New Square pleaded guilty in February to assault. That averted an attempted-murder trial. A trial would have brought unwelcome attention to the insular Hasidic community.
Spitzer admitted attacking Aron Rottenberg outside his home in May of last year.
Rottenberg's family said that Spitzer was acting at the direction of the village's chief rabbi, David Twersky, because Rottenberg had stopped praying at Twersky's synagogue.
The rabbi has denied involvement.
Rottenberg was badly burned in the attack. Spitzer was also burned on his hands and arms.
Last month, police were called to investigate another possible attack against Rottenberg after his car was set on fire.
Police have said they don't believe the two incidents are related.
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