- Oct 17, 2011
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A member of a family that runs a California raisin company is facing hate crime charges after he allegedly terrorized his Jewish neighbors in Pacific Palisades.
On Wednesday, Bruce Lion, who was arrested over the weekend, was set to be arraigned. But the proceeding was reportedly postponed because the 64-year-old would not come out of his jail cell.
Lion was charged with one count of using threats or force because of someone’s beliefs and two counts of threatening “to commit a crime with intent to terrorize,” according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.
Lion was taken into custody early Saturday morning in the Palisades after what a neighbor described as antisemitic tirades. He had allegedly been harassing his Jewish neighbors for weeks, including making criminal threats, said Rabbi Zushe Cunin of Pacific Palisades’ Chabad Jewish Community Center.
Cunin, who lives in the home next to Lion’s, told The Times that he couldn’t remember ever facing “this level of intense expression of antisemitism.”
Cunin detailed moments when Lion allegedly approached the rabbi’s wife and made antisemitic statements: “I hate you, Jews. You killed my lord and savior. Your husband killed my lord and savior.” Another instance included allegedly hosing down a congregant’s car.
This behavior allegedly went on for weeks, with several neighbors calling the police almost daily, according to Cunin.
On Wednesday, Bruce Lion, who was arrested over the weekend, was set to be arraigned. But the proceeding was reportedly postponed because the 64-year-old would not come out of his jail cell.
Lion was charged with one count of using threats or force because of someone’s beliefs and two counts of threatening “to commit a crime with intent to terrorize,” according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.
Lion was taken into custody early Saturday morning in the Palisades after what a neighbor described as antisemitic tirades. He had allegedly been harassing his Jewish neighbors for weeks, including making criminal threats, said Rabbi Zushe Cunin of Pacific Palisades’ Chabad Jewish Community Center.
Cunin, who lives in the home next to Lion’s, told The Times that he couldn’t remember ever facing “this level of intense expression of antisemitism.”
Cunin detailed moments when Lion allegedly approached the rabbi’s wife and made antisemitic statements: “I hate you, Jews. You killed my lord and savior. Your husband killed my lord and savior.” Another instance included allegedly hosing down a congregant’s car.
This behavior allegedly went on for weeks, with several neighbors calling the police almost daily, according to Cunin.
