Alleged child killer under house arrest

Evaluation determined that Valis does not pose a danger to the public.

By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
haredi riots 298.88 (photo credit: Channel 2)
haredi riots 298.88
(photo credit: Channel 2)
The Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday placed Yisrael Valis, the 19-year old haredi man suspected of beating his three-month old son to death, under house arrest. The court's decision came after probation officers determined that Valis does not pose a danger to the public. Valis is facing manslaughter charges for allegedly repeatedly biting, beating, pinching and punching the infant since his birth because he "did not accept him" due to a congenital defect in the baby's neck muscles, police said.
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Valis was arrested earlier this month after he admitted during police questioning to repeatedly beating his child. His arrest has led to days of haredi rioting in Jerusalem, after extremist leaders in the vehemently anti-Zionist Edah Haredit community - which the prominent Valis family was part of - accused police of concocting a "blood libel" identical to European blood libels against the Jews. The baby died in Jerusalem hospital on April 10, days after his father allegedly hurled him against the wall when he started to cry. The court ruled that the alleged baby killer will be placed under full house arrest, which he will serve at his grandparents' Jerusalem home, without being allowed to attend synagogue. At the same time, the court rejected a prosecution request for electronic surveillance of the suspect. The alleged child killer's expected release from his Jerusalem detention cell is bound to be welcomed by haredi leaders who have worked around the clock to garner his release, despite the severe charges he is facing in his upcoming trial.