A judge on Friday sentenced a 39-year-old Lakewood man to eight years in prison for a senseless, unprovoked baseball-bat attack on a rabbi, despite pleas from the defendant’s attorney that his client needs psychiatric help instead of prison. “This was an unprovoked, senseless attack resulting in serious permanent injury to the victim,” Superior Court Judge Francis R. Hodgson said in sentencing Lee Tucker of Ventura Drive to the prison term. Hodgson ordered that Tucker serve 85 percent of the prison term, or 6 years, nine months and 22 days, before he can be considered for release on parole, under the state’s No Early Release Act.
Hodgson also ordered Tucker to make $9,500 in restitution to the victim, Rabbi Mordechai Moskowitz of Lakewood.
Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Michael Weatherstone asked for the restitution, saying that Moskowitz has to see a specialist in Philadelphia twice a year because of the seizures he suffers as a result of the attack.
Tucker pleaded guilty Dec. 7 to aggravated assault on Moskowitz, admitting that he struck the victim, a stranger, repeatedly on the head with an aluminum baseball bat on Oct. 9, 2007.
The incident received widespread attention in Lakewood’s Orthodox community.
Moskowitz, then 53 and a third-grade teacher at Lakewood Cheder School, was walking to synagogue to pray when he was attacked just after dark at Princeton Avenue and Carey Street in Lakewood.
The victim suffered fractures to his skull, nose and eye socket as well as a brain hemorrhage, Weatherstone said. Because of the injuries, Moskowitz is at risk for early onset of Alzheimer’s disease, the prosecutor said.
Tucker’s attorney, Glenn Kassman, said his client is severely mentally ill and has been in and out of psychiatric institutions most of his life. Although Tucker’s mental illness did not rise to the level of a defense, it is the only possible explanation for the random attack, Kassman said.
“We’re here today because of what can only be described as a truly senseless act by a very, very sick man,” Kassman said. “Lee Tucker is going to state prison but Lee Tucker does not belong in state prison — he belongs in a mental institution.”
Weatherstone countered, “I think state prison is exactly where Lee Tucker belongs.
“He took out Mr. Moskowitz with an aluminum baseball bat for no reason . . . hit him in the head repeatedly,” Weatherstone said, asking for the maximum sentence of 10 years.
“This defendant must realize that you do not get to walk down the street and take a baseball bat to someone’s head,” he said.
Portraying Tucker as a master manipulator, the assistant prosecutor said that Tucker talked to fellow inmates at the Ocean County Jail about using his mental illness to “beat the charge.” Tucker also went shopping after the attack with an aunt at a store where they were pictured on a surveillance videotape, in a failed attempt to provide an alibi, Weatherstone said.
“That’s someone who’s trying to manipulate the system,” Weatherstone said.
Moskowitz sat quietly in the rear of the courtroom during the sentencing and declined to comment afterward. APP
Hazardous travel 4-6 inches of snow for lakewood. Please pin as a lot of people are in nyc were it is not snowing
8 years???? thats it??? unbelievable . whay are these animals not put away for 20 years??
My special prayer for this violent criminal is that one day in his life behind bars as this animal is going about his regular daily “innocent” business some other barbaric thug walk up behind him with a solid metal pipe and pound his head in the fashion mr tucker let out on his poor victim.. and then when its all done the perpetrator should claim the same insanity defense in attempt to get away with the “crime.”
very very sad. I hope all you residents, voters, taxpayers and citizens see how insane this is. 8 years for nearly killing a fellow human being. this piece of garbage should rot in the jail forever. now next time we elect an official, judge, politician lets remember this travesty of justice which was done to us all. Bless Mr Moskowitz.
And in six years.. Batters up!
rabbi moskowitz not mr. he was rebbi for many years already and is still going…he’s a rabbi
Wow! Less than eight years for attempting to murder someone and I believe two years for Jeff Williamson for taking $17,500 in briberies!! I’m not condoning any such actions but it seems that the justice system needs a overhaul. As for his psychiatric needs-when he gets released from prison he can be locked in a psychiatric ward for the rest of his life. In fact I think the world will be a bit safer,wadda ya think Kassman??
I take back part of my last comment-Willimason was not yet sentenced but his maximum sentence will be 20 years while this animals maximum sentence was 10 years!!! Is this normal or what?!? I think I’d rather be walking next to Williamson in 7 years then next to Tucker.
FYI: There are still elementary girls not yet accepted to any elementary school in Lakewood!!! Does that bother you?
I agree with #6!!
He is 100 percent right!!
Great man!!
YOU ROCK!!!
#6 and # 10…your comments make no sense……..
I agree with #8
He is 100 percent right!!
another animal not enough justice served
This animal shouldn’t get any years!! They should just put him in a monkey cage for a couple of months!!
How about the Death sentance for Animal Tucker?
TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE CALLING TUCKER AN ANIMAL what did those animals do wrong