Bruce Alfred Lion faces over nine years in prison for allegedly shouting antisemitic death threats during a Shabbat service.
Aggravated hate crime charges have been leveled against a prominent California agriculture heir accused of shouting antisemitic death threats at a neighboring rabbi during a religious service, according to a Los Angeles County District Attorney press release.
The arraignment was postponed for the second day after Lion refused to leave his cell to attend his court date, according to ABC 30 Action News. The judge in the matter is adamant that Lion appear in court and has ordered that Lion be forcibly removed from his cell on Friday to face trial.
Lion has targeted Rabbi Zushe Cunin of the Chabad of Pacific Palisades with threats and abuse for the past four months.
Bruce Alfred Lion, 64, faces three felony counts following a June 5 confrontation outside his Pacific Palisades residence, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced. Prosecutors charged Lion with one count of violating civil rights and two counts of making criminal threats, with all three charges carrying felony hate crime enhancements.
The incident unfolded around 8:00 p.m. during a Sabbath evening prayer service. According to investigators, Lion stood on his balcony and hurled antisemitic vitriol and threats at his next-door neighbor, a rabbi who was leading the Shabbat gathering at the time.
Los Angeles police officers arrested Lion on June 13 following an investigation by the LAPD’s West Los Angeles Division. An arraignment is scheduled today in Department 30 of the Airport Courthouse, where prosecutors successfully requested bail be set at $225,000.
Lion, whose family established one of the state’s largest independent raisin-packing companies, faces a maximum sentence of 9 years and 4 months in state prison if convicted on all counts.
The Airport Branch Office is handling the prosecution. Under California law, the filed charges are strictly allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
