Jewish leaders in the US have called for a new trial for Randy Halprin, who is scheduled to be executed on Oct. 10 in Texas for being part of "The Texas Seven" that escaped from prison almost 19 years ago and killed a police officer after they held up a sporting goods store.
This was following allegations that Halprin, a Jew, was sentenced by a judge who made anti-Semitic remarks and has a history of bigotry.
The judge, Vickers Cunningham, has been accused of privately referring to Halprin, as he sentenced him to death in 2003 for being part of the murder of Irving, Texas, police officer Aubrey Hawkins at an Oshman's Sporting Goods store on Christmas Eve 2000, with an anti-Semitic slur, calling him "that f***in' Jew."
Cunningham allegedly also said that Jews "needed to be shut down because they controlled all the money," according to Halprin's attorneys.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Two letters of support were recently shared with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Dallas District Attorney John Creuzot, including one from Jewish community leaders and another from more than 75 Texas faith leaders from multiple religions, denominations and organizations, which states, "As a diverse group of faith leaders, we stand united against any expression of hatred. … Texas must not carry out the scheduled execution of Mr. Halprin without first guaranteeing that his trial was not tainted by an anti-Semitic judge who held a religious bias against him."
The letter from 14 Jewish leaders, including Rabbi Menachem Katz, the Aleph Institute's director of prison and military outreach, states, "When we speak about hatred and anti-Semitism in our communities, we often note that one kind of discrimination or bias goes hand in hand with another. So it is unsurprising to read in Mr. Halprin's brief that Judge Cunningham also used the most offensive language to talk about Black and Latino defendants."
Although not a signatory to the letter from Jewish leaders, the American Jewish Committee filed an amicus brief the stay Halprin's execution.
"The right to an impartial judge is not only a blackletter rule of constitutional law but also integral to the functioning of the entire Texas judicial system," states AJC in the brief filed in support of Halprin's petition. The brief was signed by AJC, more than 100 Texas Jewish attorneys, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Men of Reform Judaism and the Union for Reform Judaism.
The brief also states that "Texas law is clear that hateful and prejudicial rhetoric cannot hide behind the robe."
Four of "The Texas Seven" have already been executed. A fifth shot himself to death before police could apprehend him.
Reprinted with permission from JNS.org
