During his morning prayer group, Isadore Levin was accosted by two men in Philadelphia's Kesher Israel Synagogue at 412 Lombard Street. He was pushed to the ground and shot to death. It is assumed that his death was the result of a botched robbery. One year later, two men were arrested for the crime: Larry Smith (age 23) and Hadrick Byrd (age 22). Both were charged with murder, robbery, conspiracy, burglary, and weapons violations. Byrd was found guilty of second degree murder in June 1975 and sentenced to life in prison. Smith was acquitted despite having been identified by two witnesses.
From the official case:
The Commonwealth's first witness, Isadore Abramson, testified that he arrived at the synagogue at approximately 6:30 a.m. on the Sunday morning of September 1, 1974. Services normally began at 6:45 a.m. and Abramson arrived early to prepare breakfast for the small congregation. Abramson testified that shortly after 6:30 a.m. two men whom he did not know entered the synagogue. When Abramson asked if he could help them they replied that they just wanted "to see how you pray." Abramson told them that the service would begin when the others arrived in about fifteen or twenty minutes. Abramson testified that during this conversation both men stared at the large safe located in the synagogue.
The two men left the synagogue but returned about fifteen minutes later. By this time approximately eleven congregants had arrived and morning services had begun. The two men were again approached by Abramson and, separately, by another congregant and both times expressed a desire to observe the service. Shortly thereafter, however, as the prayers continued, one of the congregants suddenly began struggling with one of the two men, was pushed away and was shot twice at close range. As he fell, the congregant, Isadore Levin, cried, "He got me . . . ." The two men fled. Levin was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.
From the official case:
The Commonwealth's first witness, Isadore Abramson, testified that he arrived at the synagogue at approximately 6:30 a.m. on the Sunday morning of September 1, 1974. Services normally began at 6:45 a.m. and Abramson arrived early to prepare breakfast for the small congregation. Abramson testified that shortly after 6:30 a.m. two men whom he did not know entered the synagogue. When Abramson asked if he could help them they replied that they just wanted "to see how you pray." Abramson told them that the service would begin when the others arrived in about fifteen or twenty minutes. Abramson testified that during this conversation both men stared at the large safe located in the synagogue.
The two men left the synagogue but returned about fifteen minutes later. By this time approximately eleven congregants had arrived and morning services had begun. The two men were again approached by Abramson and, separately, by another congregant and both times expressed a desire to observe the service. Shortly thereafter, however, as the prayers continued, one of the congregants suddenly began struggling with one of the two men, was pushed away and was shot twice at close range. As he fell, the congregant, Isadore Levin, cried, "He got me . . . ." The two men fled. Levin was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.
During his morning prayer group, Isadore Levin was accosted by two men in Philadelphia's Kesher Israel Synagogue at 412 Lombard Street. He was pushed to the ground and shot to death. It is assumed that his death was the result of a botched robbery. One year later, two men were arrested for the crime: Larry Smith (age 23) and Hadrick Byrd (age 22). Both were charged with murder, robbery, conspiracy, burglary, and weapons violations. Byrd was found guilty of second degree murder in June 1975 and sentenced to life in prison. Smith was acquitted despite having been identified by two witnesses.
From the official case:
The Commonwealth's first witness, Isadore Abramson, testified that he arrived at the synagogue at approximately 6:30 a.m. on the Sunday morning of September 1, 1974. Services normally began at 6:45 a.m. and Abramson arrived early to prepare breakfast for the small congregation. Abramson testified that shortly after 6:30 a.m. two men whom he did not know entered the synagogue. When Abramson asked if he could help them they replied that they just wanted "to see how you pray." Abramson told them that the service would begin when the others arrived in about fifteen or twenty minutes. Abramson testified that during this conversation both men stared at the large safe located in the synagogue.
The two men left the synagogue but returned about fifteen minutes later. By this time approximately eleven congregants had arrived and morning services had begun. The two men were again approached by Abramson and, separately, by another congregant and both times expressed a desire to observe the service. Shortly thereafter, however, as the prayers continued, one of the congregants suddenly began struggling with one of the two men, was pushed away and was shot twice at close range. As he fell, the congregant, Isadore Levin, cried, "He got me . . . ." The two men fled. Levin was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.
From the official case:
The Commonwealth's first witness, Isadore Abramson, testified that he arrived at the synagogue at approximately 6:30 a.m. on the Sunday morning of September 1, 1974. Services normally began at 6:45 a.m. and Abramson arrived early to prepare breakfast for the small congregation. Abramson testified that shortly after 6:30 a.m. two men whom he did not know entered the synagogue. When Abramson asked if he could help them they replied that they just wanted "to see how you pray." Abramson told them that the service would begin when the others arrived in about fifteen or twenty minutes. Abramson testified that during this conversation both men stared at the large safe located in the synagogue.
The two men left the synagogue but returned about fifteen minutes later. By this time approximately eleven congregants had arrived and morning services had begun. The two men were again approached by Abramson and, separately, by another congregant and both times expressed a desire to observe the service. Shortly thereafter, however, as the prayers continued, one of the congregants suddenly began struggling with one of the two men, was pushed away and was shot twice at close range. As he fell, the congregant, Isadore Levin, cried, "He got me . . . ." The two men fled. Levin was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital.
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