Headstones damaged in an attack by vandals early last month at Poile Zedek Cemetery in New Brunswick. Photo by Debra Rubin
February 21, 2008
Four teens charged with destroying or toppling about 600 gravestones at Poile Zedek Cemetery in New Brunswick in two early January incidents have pled guilty to the charges in the family division of Middlesex County Superior Court.
The four youths, ages 15-17, were charged with the juvenile equivalents of conspiracy, desecration of venerated objects, and criminal mischief. The charges expose them to up to one year of imprisonment for each count of conspiracy and desecration of venerated objects and a maximum of two years imprisonment for each count of criminal mischief.
It had been determined by investigating authorities that the vandalism spree was not a bias crime because the four, who had been drinking on at least one of the occasions, were not aware they were in a Jewish cemetery, there was no evidence of religious animosity or hatred in their or their families’ backgrounds, they were not members of any known hate group, and no anti-Semitic graffiti were left behind.
The Feb. 14 hearing was held before Judge Jane B. Cantor, who will sentence them on March 17. The juveniles have been held at the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention facility since their Jan. 9 arrests days after the two incidents, on Jan. 1 and 4, at the Joyce Kilmer Avenue cemetery, which is jointly shared by New Brunswick’s Congregation Poile Zedek and Sephardi Congregation Etz Ahaim of Highland Park.
Damage has been estimated by the synagogues to be between $500,000 and $1 million, most of which will not be covered by insurance. Approximately 75 percent of all headstones were either uprooted or broken during the spree.
Assistant Middlesex County prosecutor Ralph Cretella, who is handling the case, said even though juvenile hearings are closed to the press and public, a representative from each synagogue was allowed in because crime victims are allowed to be present.
He declined to say what led investigators to the four, but added, “After the sentencing we will be able to release a lot more details about the case. We’re just happy to get such a quick resolution in the case.”
Rabbi David Bassous of Etz Ahaim said that while he is glad the matter has been dealt with so swiftly, he felt sorry for the four teens.
“It’s a tragic waste of a young life,” he said. “Now they’ll be in jail. They did such a terrible thing. I just hope they learn their lesson. I really wish people would think more before they did things.
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