George Rockwell, the American Nazi leader, was ordered yesterday to stand trial on May 16 on two charges of disorderly conduct stemming from a near-riot in New York State Supreme Court here in 1960.
Criminal Court Judge Neal P. Bottigheri handed down the order in denying a demand by Martin Berger, a Jewish attorney serving as Rockwell’s counsel without fee, that Rockwell receive a hearing to have the charges dismissed. Judge Bottigheri ruled that a case had been established for trial on the charges.
Mr. Derger accepted an assignment from the American Civil Liberties Union to defend Rockwell. He acted as Rockwell’s attorney previously when Rockwell was arrested on a warrant issued in 1960. The arrest took place when Rockwell came to New York to address a meeting of a Columbia University student group.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.