by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY EXCLUSIVE, May 21 – A young man charged with assault, the Assistant US Attorney said on Jews, was ordered free on $150,000 bond on May 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrates Court. Inner City Press was the only media there and live tweeted:
AUSA: Defendant was freed in NY court and went on assaulting Jews. He should be detained
Federal Defender: He was upset and protesting a global issue. He should be freed
Judge: Free on $150,000 bond with the parents as third party custodians.
The clerk said the defendant's name is "Tarek Bazrouk."
Then the AUSA asked for a stay pending appeal. Magistrate Judge Aaron went to chambers to call the assigned District Judge, Richard M. Berman - who quickly set up a hearing which Inner City Press also covered.
Federal Defender: Why not leave him free, pending the conference here on Tuesday?
AUSA: The defendant is a danger to the community and a flight risk, we want to argue now.
[Federal Defender conferring]
FD: OK, we'll put this off until Tuesday.
Letter was due Friday at noon.
But it did not go into the docket until Monday, May 12, with adults' names redacted. It acknowledges that "some of the messages and postings even indicate sympathies for designated terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hizballah, then cites Brandenburg v. Ohio. There is a footnote about threats.
On May 13, after argument he remained detained pending an order: "Court requests documents from counsel re: orders of protection... Court will issue a written decision; remand continues pending written decision; Court schedules next conference for 5/20/25."
On May 16 Judge Berman docketed: ORDER as to Tarek Bazrouk. The Court may have one or two questions for counsel before finalizing the bail/detention order. We can discuss at our conference on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Signed by Judge Richard M. Berman on 5/16/25)."
On May 21 Judge Berman ordered him detained, noting that "the total cash recovered from the Defendant is $750,062.06" and he traveled to the West Bank and Jordan for three weeks in September and October 2024.
The case is USA v. Bazrouk, 1:25-cr-00203 (Berman)
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