Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Orthodox Sex Abuse Victim Photographed While Testifying, Cellphone Snappers In Custody
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 29, 2012
Modified Nov 29, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 29, 2012
Modified Nov 29, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The trial of Nechemya Weberman, a Hasidic rabbi and counselor who has been accused of sexually abusing a teen girl in Brooklyn for years, took another disturbing turn today when multiple people were taken into custody for taking photos of the victim and the defendant in court. "There are now 3 people in custody over 2 alleged photos illegally taken in court. One of alleged victim on stand. The other of defendant," tweeted WSJ reporter Pervaiz Shallwani. They were able to email or Tweet the photos before their phones were confiscated; one of the photos (with blacked out faces) is above.
"Bombshell: 2 people are being held for taking a picture of the alleged victim while she was on the stand and emailing it out," tweeted Daily News court reporter Oren Yaniv earlier today. "Possible contempt charges against the two. Right now, all spectators are now giving their phones for safekeeping...Also, someone took a picture of the defense lawyer and defendant inside the courtroom--less serious but still not permitted." He added that he heard from multiple sources "that those detained in picturegate--not arrested yet--are Satmar guys who do news work in some capacity."
Yaniv now says, "Four men are being questioned right now in connection to picturegate in #webermantrial. Photos were taken both today and yesterday."
Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, a family friend of the victim and director of the Center for Jewish Family Life, also tweeted about the incident from the courtroom. He also said that two detectives have been assigned to protect the victim for the rest of the trial: "Over the past 2 days, there have been threats made to victim's supporters from Williamsburg who attended trial," he tweeted. "Seems that the cops are looking into this and the enhanced scrutiny is part of that effort. kudos to DA."
He added: "People keep asking me why i got involved here the way i am. in the past 24 hours you are seeing a tiny, tiny slice of what the victim's families are enduring. if this is what they are doing IN COURT, could you imagine what is going on away from the cameras. I have been very quiet thus far, just supporting family."
Tagged
brooklyn
cell phone pics
court
nechemya weberman
orthodox
satmar hasidic
sexual abuse
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .