We welcome the call of US Congressman Jerrold Nadler for a new federal probe into the circumstances of the death of Gidone Busch at the hands of 6 police officers several years ago. Busch, wearing a yarmulka and with his tzitzis hanging out of his shirt, was shot dead by the police officers, who were arrayed in a semi-circle 8 feet from him, as he waved a hammer over his head with his back to a wall. Despite the testimony of 20 eyewitnesses that Busch
was not moving towards the officers, an internal police investigation, largely perfunctory, was conducted resulting in a finding of no wrongdoing, and a Brooklyn Grand Jury failed to issue
any indictments which would have led to a trial.
What prompted Nadler’s call this week was the discovery of a letter from a federal prosecutor who had looked into the matter, indicating that she believed there was evidence that the officers had concocted their unanimous claim that Busch was moving towards them in a menacing fashion, and that they had no choice but to fire at him.
We have long thought and frequently commented that justice was not done in the matter of the death of Gidone Busch. Certainly, there has never been a serious and sustained investigation as to the circumstances.
We hope Congressman Nadler’s intervention will result in some light being shed on one of the more troubling episodes of recent years.
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