A rabbi accused of molesting his daughter leaves court a free man after a judge finds him not guilty.
The judge's main reason for the verdict has to do with what he calls insufficient evidence and inconsistent statements.
While the judge didn't say it did not happen, due to those factor he said there was sufficient reasonable doubt and so he acquitted the rabbi on all counts.
72-year-old, Eric Silver was arrested over a year ago.
He was accused by his daughter, Rachel Silver, of molesting her in the late 60s and early 70s in Norfolk.
During Friday`s ruling, the judge said that bringing a case after more than 40 years later- could affect the alleged victim's memories. After the verdict, Rachel Silver talked about the verdict.
“I think there was so much evidence of his intentions. I think in legal terms, they refer to it as a common scheme. He never left me alone. What`s important to be is I got my day in court. I got to speak up,” Rachel Silver explained.
She says she waited so long to come forward because she wouldn`t have made it through the ordeal in her twenties.
The rabbi left court but declined to comment.
Norfolk, Va. — A retired rabbi charged with indecent liberties with a child more than 40 years ago has been found not guilty.
Eric Silver, 72, was arrested in Connecticut in Feb. 2015 and extradited to Virginia.
The alleged incidents took place between 1968 and 1970. when Silver was in his mid to late 20s .
All of the alleged attacks were against one individual.
The charges were punishable by a prison term of between one and 10 years and a fine of less than $2,500.
According to our sister station, Fox 61 News in Connecticut, Silver had three private audiences with popes, the most recent in 2010 with Pope Benedict XVI. Silver is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served during Vietnam War. He is listed as a Purple Heart recipient on purpleheart.com.
