Sweet Vindication      

As Rabbi Osher Eisemann’s case finally closed, Rav Chaim’s words prevailed 

Under cross-examination, a detective for the prosecution finally admitted that there was no evidence, no crime, and that he had “no idea why any of us are here.” After eight years of what some in the community termed a “modern-day blood libel,” Rabbi Osher Eisemann, founder of SCHI for children with a range of disabilities, was finally acquitted, the judge throwing out the case and locking the door on it, in fulfillment of Rav Chaim’s promise all along

INa dramatic turn of events last Wednesday, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone dismissed the state’s indictment against Rabbi Osher Eisemann, ending a prosecution that has lasted more than eight years. The judge’s action cannot be appealed, which means the case is closed.

Rabbi Eisemann, who founded the School for Children with Hidden Intelligence (SCHI), a school catering to children with a range of disabilities, was first indicted in March 2017. He was accused by New Jersey’s attorney general and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) of misappropriating state funds paid to his school. He went to trial in February 2019 and was acquitted on the charge of theft of state funds, but was convicted of two additional charges.

Appeals followed that trial, and Rabbi Eisemann’s legal counsel, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC (CSG Law), discovered that the state attorney general’s office withheld evidence from the defense that showed he was innocent. His convictions were vacated, and he was granted a new trial that started on July 9. Judge Paone, who was presiding over the new trial, completely dismissed the state charges, saying the attorney general’s office had failed to make any case that Rabbi Eisemann had ever committed a crime.

Community members termed Rabbi Eisemann’s prosecution a modern-day “blood libel.” The state doggedly tried to frame the SCHI founder for taking public funds allotted to his school for his own benefit. But his determined defense fought back every step of the way, ultimately prevailing in what can only be described as open siyata d’Shmaya.