A charge of assault with intent to commit murder has been dropped against Irving S. Rubin, 28-year-old leader of the Jewish Defense League office here. He was accused of firing “two or three shots” at Joe Tommasi, leader of the El Monte office of the National Socialist White People’s Party last Feb. 1 following an anti-Nazi demonstration. A spokesman from the District Attorney’s office said that after “careful consideration of the case there was insufficient evidence to file a criminal complaint” against Rubin.
A demonstration by more than 1000 irate citizens of El Monte and members of the JDL erupted last month into violence and resulted in the arrests of several on various charges. They were protesting the presence of the Nazis’ headquarters. Rubin, of suburban Northridge, was arrested one week after the incident following Tommasi’s complaint to police that the JDL leader fired gunshots from an auto two days after the demonstration.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.