Christopher Peak Photo
Greer outside the courthouse Tuesday.
Rabbi Daniel Greer Tuesday pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and child endangerment charges.
The 77-year-old rabbi, who founded the Yeshiva of New Haven and helped revive the surrounding Edgewood neighborhood, is accused of molesting one of his former students, Eliyahu Mirlis, almost a decade ago.
In May, Greer and the yeshiva lost a $20 million verdict in civil court in a suit filed by Mirlis. Shortly after, police closed in on the case, after detectives verified the alleged victim’s description of Greer’s naked body, including a scar on his inner thigh. Greer turned himself in for arrest at police headquarters in July and is free on a $100,000 bond.
Wearing a black suit and carrying a book of prayers, Greer briefly appeared in criminal court at 235 Church St. Tuesday morning to enter a not guilty plea and request a jury trial. Aside from agreeing to respect a protective order, Greer didn’t speak. The rabbi then spent an hour attempting to dodge reporters outside the courthouse before leaving.
Beginning in the 1980s, Rabbi Greer oversaw the revival of the neighborhood around his yeshiva at the corner of Norton and Elm streets, renovating neglected historic homes.
Over the years, Greer has also crusaded against gay rights in Connecticut, at times played an active role in politics and government, and advocated for keeping nuisance businesses out of the Whalley Avenue commercial corridor. He and his family earned national attention for exposing johns who patronized street prostitutes in the neighborhood, for filing suit against Yale University over a requirement that students live in coed dorms, and then in 2007 for launching an armed neighborhood “defense” patrol and then calling in the Guardian Angels for assistance to combat crime. In the 1970s, Greer also led a successful campaign to force the United States to pressure the Soviet Union into allowing Jewish “refuseniks” to emigrate here and start new, freer lives.’
His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 11.
Previous coverage of this case:
• Suit: Rabbi Molested, Raped Students
• Greer’s Housing Corporations Added To Sex Abuse Lawsuit
• 2nd Ex-Student Accuses Rabbi Of Sex Assault
• 2nd Rabbi Accuser Details Alleged Abuse
• Rabbi Sexual Abuse Jury Picked
• On Stand, Greer Invokes 5th On Sex Abuse
• Rabbi Seeks To Bar Blogger from Court
• Trial Mines How Victims Process Trauma
• Wife, Secretary Come To Rabbi Greer’s Defense
• Jury Awards $20M In Rabbi Sex Case
• State Investigates Greer Yeshiva’s Licensing
• Rabbi Greer Seeks New Trial
• Affidavit: Scar Gave Rabbi Greer Away
What is the point of chasing a defendant outside a courtroom? Clearly he doesn't want to speak to the press. Why not just let him drive away?
This story had almost nothing to do with the case, and everything to do with the reporters covering it. Will the editor please explain?
[Ed: Thank you. Good point. We felt the episode with the press reflected an impact that this case has had on the defendant's life. I respect the fact that people could argue otherwise!]