Long Island, NY – Judge Accepts Blame For Being Too Lenient With Driver Who Killed Engaged Jewish Couple

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    Yisroel Levin, 21, and his fiancée, Elisheva Basya Kaplan, 20, got engaged a week before the deadly crash near JFK Airport.Long Island, NY – Less than two weeks after a newly engaged Orthodox Jewish couple lost their lives in a deadly car crash, the Supreme Court judge who chose not to send one of the two drivers arrested in the fatal collision to jail on an earlier conviction said that he regrets his decision.

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    Judge Matthew Sciarrino admitted that going easy on 25 year old Zakiyyah Steward, who had been convicted of stealing a total of more than $3,000 from her employer over the course of four burglaries was a mistake, reported The Daily News (https://nydn.us/2HznbMT).

    “We were unsuccessful in getting her the treatment she needs as it was detailed in these reports,” said Sciarrino. “I’ll take the blame for giving her too many chances.”

    Despite an offer from prosecutors to sentence Steward to two to six years in prison in exchange for a guilty plea on her burglary conviction, Sciarrino ordered the Brooklyn woman into The Fortune Society’s prison alternative program, as previously reported on VIN News (http://bit.ly/2HAy2WR).

    Steward was thrown out of the program for poor attendance and engaging in drug and alcohol use, but when she appeared again before Sciarrino in March, he ordered her back to The Fortune Society instead of sending her to jail.

    Less than a month later, Steward was one of two people arrested in the horrific crash on the Nassau Expressway, with six marijuana cigarettes in her pocket.

    Brooklyn assistant district attorney Robert Zweibel said that Steward’s blood alcohol level of .076% at the time of the crash was just below the legal limit of .08%. Steward admitted to police officers that she had been smoking marijuana “all day” and she was arrested on four different charges involving drugs and alcohol.

    Steward is being held in the Nassau County Correctional Center in lieu of $25,000 bail. According to a new directive from Sciarrino, she would be held without bail on the burglary charges should she post bond in Nassau County.

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    14 Comments
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    GMalka
    GMalka
    6 years ago

    Sciarrino has blood on his hands indeed. Him and DeBlasio, who appointed him. I spit on them both.

    6 years ago

    Too little Too late!

    AlbertEinstein
    AlbertEinstein
    6 years ago

    Shkoyach, judge. Your left-wing liberal PC attitude won’t bring them back, R”L. So, are you going to quit, or do you think you’re yoitzeh with your lame apology?

    puppydogs
    puppydogs
    6 years ago

    These liberals judges need to be removed from the bench.

    6 years ago

    What punishment will he get??? Very easy to say ‘ I take the blame” , if there is no consequence to saying it???? H e should sit in jail or be fired from the bench , so that others will see that NO ONE – EVEN JUDGES -are above the law!!! He is only looking for publicity!!!! Let him accept a punishment for his action of “accessory to vehicular manslaughter” , so that others will learn that there is no free ride!!!!

    6 years ago

    When was her alcohol level checked? if it was even only 15 minutes after the accident then she was legally drunk at the time and I would guess it was much later than that because the police had a gruesome scene to deal with. Unfortunately the only way liberals learn is when it is too late. He has left two families shattered and the hearts of thousands wounded by his inept insane decisions. Two lechtig kinder who would have brought nachas to the world are korbonos to the bleeding heart liberals and dreck like the driver get to roam the streets leaving a trail of horror. H-Shem yerachem! We need to get our acts together and do what it takes to bring Moshiach!

    6 years ago

    Dumb talena judge, should be removed from the bench!!

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    6 years ago

    When is he retiring? I know that Judges are appointed for “life”??? but this one MUST GO!!!!!!!!!!!

    adar29
    adar29
    6 years ago

    those who are kind to the cruel…i guess he never heard of it

    thetruthis
    thetruthis
    6 years ago

    Not blaming anyone, but just wondering what the mihalech is today. Is it accepted/proper/permitted for an engaged couple to be alone in a car on a highway at such a late hour?
    Doesn’t take away from the Gehenim that the Italian punk and the African American drunk will get.

    anon6
    Noble Member
    anon6
    6 years ago

    everyone please report the above post as inappropriate so it can be removed

    6 years ago

    Agree with number 13. Remove the rabid anti semite’s comment from here! We live in a free country and everyone is free to choose when he is on the road—so who is this low-life who has the nerve to condemn the young couple HY”D??????? He is no truth as his alias states!!!!!He is full of first-class SHEKER!!!