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Friend Says Accused Child Murderer Is "Borderline Retarded"
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 6, 2011
Modified Aug 6, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 6, 2011
Modified Aug 6, 2011
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This week, the man who confessed to killing and dismembering 8-year-old Hasidic boy Leiby Kletzky last month was found mentally competent to stand trial. Levi Aron pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and kidnapping charges during his arraignment in Brooklyn Supreme Court, while his attorneys plotted an insanity defense. Now, one of his friends has revealed more personal details about the accused killer, whom the friend calls "socially awkward" and "borderline retarded." "He couldn't hold a conversation...He didn't talk about anything except karaoke and the songs he was going to sing - not women, not anything," said David Barsky.
Aron called Barksy his "best friend." according to court papers. Barksy is currently in Riker's after getting busted in April for driving a Plymouth van—which was registered in Aron's name—with a suspended license. Barksy said he thought Aron was too stupid to be able to successfully abduct, kidnap and kill Leiby. And anyway, Aron was too obsessed with karaoke and getting famous for such a heinous crime.
Barsky said Aron used to drive him to karaoke parties he would host, and Aron would occasionally try to emcee the gigs...but he was terrible at it. "He has no personality. He had to learn how to talk to people...He loved to sing the songs, but he can't sing. He has a terrible voice!" said Barksy. Aron particularly loved singing songs by Maroon 5 and Josh Groban, though his all-time favorite song is "Time" by Hootie & the Blowfish.
And while Barksy says he "loved the guy," and "he was a good person," he has spent much of the past month in jail contemplating the tragic crime, and asking himself the same question again and again: "Why did he kill the child?"
Tagged
borderline retarded
dismemberment
leiby kletzky
levi aron
murder
orthodox jew
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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