Brooklyn, NY -The family of an 8-year-old New York City boy who was abducted, killed and dismembered has sued the suspect in his death and the suspect’s father for $100 million each.
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Leiby Kletzky (LY’-bee KLEHT’-skee) went missing July 11 while walking home from day camp in Brooklyn. Police say his feet were found in the freezer at suspect Levi (LEV’-ee) Aron’s apartment.
Prosecutors say the boy was killed after he met Aron on a street and asked for help.
Aron has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and kidnapping.
Aron’s father owned the building where his son lived. The two civil lawsuits say he should’ve known what was going on and could’ve stopped it. He hasn’t responded to a telephone message left Monday seeking comment.
And assuming they can get a jury or judge to agree, who will pay this sum? The alleged killer has bupkis and no assets. They cannot make the family pay since he is not a minor and they have no responsibility.
Does he really think he’ll be able to collect?
I am surprised that R’ Nachman’s lawyers did not advise him to wait until after the outcome of Levi Aron’s trial has been decided.
It would be difficult to obtain even a red nickel in damages if Aron’s guilt had not been decided by a criminal court.
I wonder if this had the Haskamah of Rav Eisenberger.
I don’t think he’s doing it for the money. It’s pretty obvious Aron doesn’t have much. I suspect he’s trying to keep the insanity defense from taking center stage.
I dont think financial gain is what he’s going for! i think its to put a price on this horrendous crime on his beloved son. its a way to get some closure
He probably wants to make sure that there is no book (and/or movie) deal offered to the killer.
This only just incase levi Aaron gets money for interviews, etc the money won’t go to levi Aaron but to mr. Kletzky, smart move.
Though not reported in the article, Kings County Clerk’s Minutes show that he’s also suing someone named Jack Aron. Is that Levi’s father? Could be he’s arguing that the family knew of Levi’s proclivities and covered them up and let him use the house.
The only legal strategy is to paint the case as a negligence case (family knew and did nothing and so exposed the public to danger) and then maybe squeeze some $$ out of the homeowners’ policy that covers negligence but not intentional conduct.
Here’s what the County Clerk Minutes show:
19391/2011 KLETZKY, NACHMAN AS ADMIN ETC ET ANO vs. ARON, JACK
18891/2011 KLETZKY, NACHMAN AS ADMIN ETC ET ANO vs. ARON, LEVI
He won’t even get a million! This person doesn’t have a penny.
It is not about the money. It is about making sure that LA can never collect a dime with his story. And to those saying to wait until after the criminal trial, this will take much longer and in a Civil trial there is no reasonable doubt. Even if LA is c”v found not guilty he could still lose the civil court where the burden of proof is much lower.
Its to prevent hime from making any money from interviews and book deals its a known tactic
Just asking: Is this action of sueing a fellow Jew in a non-jewish court (“Arkous”) and not litigating a jewish court, not forbidden as the defendant is a fellow Jew? OR is the answer since Levy will probaly never come to a Jewish court (Bais din) one can go straight to a non-jewish court of law?
I have never understood why Levi Aron, as he claimed “panicked” and murdered little Leiby A”H when he heard there was a search on. He could have returned little Leiby alive and claimed the reward money. Why has nobody ever even asked this question?
Wish Nachman all the best but this lawsuit is pointless since the animal was worth nothing
Why does everybody have to give this grieving family all this advise and feedback? Did they ask for it? Is everyone really such an expert or is it just the chronic condition of every Yid is an “eitza geber”?
And what would the news confrence lookm like after he gets his money?? “today justice was served” very nice statement, but was that worth your leibys life? he will make the whole thing look very money minded, and becide, i dont think its so yiddish to do this, & # 7, who would watch the movie you are talking about, a movie of killing a little boy? common,.. i also i think # 13 has a very good “shala”, as i said before, its not yiddish, and maybe not even allowed from a halacha standpoint.
Who is Rav Eisenberger exactly? What’s his full name? Where is he the Rav?
It’s easier to prove liability in a civil court than it is to convict a defendant in criminal court, because in the former the burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence, whereas in the latter the prosecution must establish guilt beyond all reasonable doubt. Think of the OJ case – where unfortunately he got off in criminal court, but B”H was found liable in civil court. Perhaps Nachman is afraid that the same situation will arise here because of the “insanity” defense, and wants to make sure that Levi Aron (yemach shemo) is punished by the law. It’s not about the money; it’s about the principle. Hatzlacha to Nachman in getting justice for his son, of blessed memory.
Some shyster lawyer probably got hold of him and convinced him to do this. A harmless waste of time except that the Kletzkys may have to pay court fees.
27,
Rav Binyomin Eisenberger is Rav of Heichal Hatefilah in BP where the Kletskys daven.
He was a talmid of Rav Koppelman and Rav Ehrenfeld of Chasan Sofer.
He is himself a descendent of the Ksav Sofer and a very learned man.
I stand to be corrected but I think on his mother’s side he is a grandson of Rav Donut, a Hungarian Rav.
No. 30, you said it. It is a lawyer/ambulance chaser out to make a buck. And the rest of you, don’t worry. I am sure the Kletzky’s don’t read trashy blogs like this one.
27,
Rav Binyomin Eisenberger is Rav of Heichal Hatefilah in BP where the Kletzkys daven.
He was a talmid of Rav Koppleman and Rav Ehrenfeld of Chasan Sofer.
I stand to be corrected but I think he is a descendent of the Ksav Sofer and Rav Donut, a Hungarian Rav.
It’s like selling the child for 100 million, I wouldn’t advise R’ Nachmen to do it, a yid has nothing of money it’s leibys doros, and nachas that he would get from him, it’s not for sale.
What’s the heter to also sue the perp’s father?
After the Kletzky’s suffering, the poor father of LA is suffering plenty.
Going after him with a lawsuit is probably a desperate move from Mr.Kletzky because unfortunately for him there’s almost no outlet for him to express his grief over the loss of his precious boy.
Anyone believing for one moment that LA’s father had any inkling of his son’s monsterous ways needs their head examined.
Clearly Nachman Kletzky is not looking for $$$ However, the father knew or should have known what his son was doing or capable of doing moreso than anyone else–particularly butcher’s knives etc. . .
There could be some desire of closure or to prevent the father from walking away clean and at least hold him accountable for his son Levi. Ultimately I am certain this was done properly and for the right reasons
How is a father responsible for his 35 year old adult son’s criminal action?
All of dont know what your talking about!!! If the sue goes thru then he wont get any money because Aron will go to jail and hes not going to make money anyways!!
Its pronounced ‘Donut’ though
The lawsuit is probably the lawyer’s doing; I doubt that R Eisinberger would allow it.
There is no way that Aron Sr. could have known what was going on. When his son picked up the kid, he was still at work in Manhattan. When he came home they were en route to Monsey. When they got back he was sleeping, b/c he gets up for a 6am minyan. He left for work b4 8am in the morning and by the time he came back the deed was done. His son obviously is not on such great terms with Yiddishkeit or the family, which is why he had his own separate apt to begin with. Realistically, we know that people can’t control their teenage kids who are “in gantzen” and on the derech; kal vachomer their adult kids who are partially or fully off both the derech and their rocker. I think we all agree the perpetrator is responsible for his actions, etc. and should be locked up for society’s good; his father’s hands are totally clean. I think that the housing arrangement was the best that he could do to given his son’s matzav. We should never know from such things, oif keyner nisht gedacht.