A State Supreme Court Justice reserved decision yesterday on an application to vacate the confession of 17-year-old Alfred Ruppert, that he set the fire in the Yonkers Jewish Community Center last December 20 which killed three adults and nine children.
Justice C.J. Hoyt also reserved decision on a request that Ruppert be released from Westchester County jail where he has been held since he was arraigned on arson charges on January 25. Justice Hoyt so acted after hearing charges that Yonkers police officials bullied the youth into confessing falsely that he had started the fire.
A Westchester County Grand Jury met yesterday, after considering the confession and hearing more than 100 witnesses but did not make a report. The youth’s father had asked for the boy’s release.
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