Attorney for suspect in New Square firebomb case asks judge to dismiss criminal contempt charge
Sounds innocent but after you fire bomb someone walking by their house with two friends can be intimidating.
An attorney for an 18-year-old accused of attempted murder and arson asked the village justice Monday to dismiss a misdemeanor charge accusing the teen of walking past his alleged victim’s home in violation of an order of protection.
Shaul Spitzer, who is facing felony counts of attempted murder, arson and assault for his suspected role in a May 22 attack on fellow New Square resident Aron Rottenberg, was additionally charged with second-degree criminal contempt on Oct. 26 after a photograph taken by a village resident surfaced, alleged to show Spitzer in front of Rottenberg’s Truman Avenue home about 3:15 p.m. Oct. 4.
On Monday, Kenneth Gribetz, Spitzer’s defense attorney, asked New Square Village Justice Stuart Salles to dismiss the contempt charge on the grounds that the order of protection does not require Spitzer to maintain a specific distance from Rottenberg’s residence.
Salles reserved his decision to dismiss the misdemeanor charge, noting that he would decide on the matter within 30 days.