Baltimore Community Members Respond to Emergency Call to Action

Young was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Over the years, his case has come up for parole many times, but, thankfully, has been denied.

However, Young now has a real chance of being released. Because of a judge’s decision in a case referred to as the “Unger ruling,” scores of convicted murderers are being freed to walk and live amongst us; the “Unger ruling” overturned those convictions on a technicality.  

The Young conviction is now up for evaluation based on this ruling, too, and is similarly poised to be overturned, which would result in his release.

However, Baltimore State’s Attorney, Gregg Bernstein, and his assistants have decided that they will fight to keep Young in prison. The attorneys in this case have told community activists that it would help their efforts to keep Young behind bars if as many people as possible were to show up in court to support Young remaining in prison.

Askanim issued a call for the community to step up and show their desire to keep Young behind bars. Harav Moshe Heinemann, shlita, fully supported the efforts, and issued a letter stating his intention to intend and urging others to do so as well.

Yesterday an impressive crowd of approximately 200 Baltimore community members gathered at the downtown courthouse for the hearing and to support the efforts of the State’s Attorney.

At the end of the proceedings, the judge thanked all for coming, and indicating that his decision of whether or not to re-evaluate the case would be forthcoming.

This article appeared in print on page 2 of the March 21st, 2014 edition of Hamodia.