Sections

EST 1917
Advertisement

Schenzvit Gets 15 Years in Palestine’s First One-judge Murder Trial

July 28, 1937
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date

PALESTINE’S FIRST MURDER TRIAL BEFORE A SINGLE JUDGE ENDED HERE TODAY WITH THE CONVICTION OF REUBEN SCHENZVIT, TEL AVIV LAND BROKER, FOR THE STRANGLING LAST MARCH OF HIS FORMER ASSOCIATE, JACOB ZWANGER, AN ENGINEER.

SCHENZVIT WAS SENTENCED TO A PRISON TERM OF 15 YEARS BY CHIEF JUSTICE HARRY HERBERT TRUSTED, FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL OF PALESTINE. THE TRIAL OPENED JULY 12 WHEN SCHENZVIT PLEADED NOT GUILTY.

THE CASE HAD ATTRACTED WIDE NOTICE WHEN SENSATIONAL REPORTS ATTRIBUTED THE MURDER TO AN INTERNATIONAL ARMS SMUGGLING AND ESPIONAGE RING.

ORDINARILY, PALESTINE’S THREE CHIEF JUSTICES PRESIDE AT MURDER TRIALS. UNDER A NEW LAW HOWEVER A DEFENDANT HAS THE RIGHT TO SELECT ANY ONE OF THEM TO SIT ALONE.

A Season of Big Decisions. From the Knesset campaign to American midterms, Jewish communities are weighing what comes next. Help JTA keep delivering the deeper context.

Choose an amount to donate

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement