TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – Opening statements began Wednesday in the trial of a New Jersey rabbi who prosecutors say employed a kidnap team to force unwilling Jewish husbands to divorce their wives.
Rabbi Mendel Epstein faces charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and attempted kidnapping.
Prosecutors allege the Orthodox rabbi’s team used brutal methods and tools, including handcuffs and electric cattle prods, to torture the men into granting divorces. Defense attorney Robert Stahl says the Orthodox rabbi wasn’t involved in any crimes and is a “champion of women’s rights.”
Several co-defendants have pleaded guilty in the case, while others are on trial with Epstein.
During their opening statement, prosecutors played a short, grainy clip of Epstein discussing a staged kidnapping with two undercover FBI agents. He tells them: “Basically, what we’re going to be doing is kidnapping a guy for a couple hours.”