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Last update - 10:18 22/07/2008 Jury convicts man tried for accosting Nobel winner Elie Wiesel By The Associated Press Tags: hate crime, elie wiesel  A 24-year-old New Jersey man was convicted Monday of accosting Holocaust survivor and scholar Elie Wiesel in a hotel elevator. Eric Hunt was convicted in San Francisco Superior Court of one felony charge of false imprisonment with a hate crime allegation. Hunt was also convicted of two misdemeanor counts - one for battery and one for elder abuse. The jury dismissed charges of attempted kidnapping, stalking and a second false imprisonment charge. Hunt visibly shook in his seat after the verdict was read. Advertisement He withdrew his original not guilty by reason of insanity plea, eliminating the need for a second trial to determine his sanity at the time of the crime. "We are pleased with the verdict," said Hunt's attorney, John Runfola. "I'm just saddened it took this long to get justice for this young guy who is mentally ill." During the nine-day trial, Wiesel, 79, testified that he thought Hunt was trying to kidnap him when he was forcefully pulled off an elevator at San Francisco's Argent Hotel on Feb. 1, 2007. On the witness stand, Wiesel read comments allegedly written on a Web site by Hunt calling Wiesel's accounts of the Holocaust fictitious. Wiesel's parents and younger sister died in Nazi death camps during World War II. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 and has written more than 40 books, many of them about the Holocaust and Judaism. Hunt's lawyers contend his online statements were the result of a mental illness and not anti-Semitism and that Hunt has now been diagnosed and is being treated. "He is not a Holocaust denier," Runfola said. Hunt could face up to three years in prison. His sentencing date has been set for Aug. 18. Related articles: Elie Wiesel testifies against man who allegedly accosted him Alleged attacker apologizes to Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel U.S. police arrest Holocaust denier suspected in Elie Wiesel attack Bookmark to del.icio.us   Baptism by fire Bradley Burston offers 10 Mideast traps for Barack Obama to avoid. A second life 'Exodus' passenger makes aliyah six decades after being turned away.   1.   THE laterst fashion.No such thing as a neo nazi just" disturbed" 10:15  |  PETER SM 22/07/08   2.   Holocaust denier mentally ill 12:34  |  Taly 22/07/08   3.   Do not ignore anti-Semitism. 12:59  |  Jean Van Daem 22/07/08

Read & React Bradley Burston: Ten Mideast traps for Obama to avoid Responses: 53 Israel keen to crack down on East Jerusalem Responses: 29 'No excuses,' says visiting Obama about bulldozer terrorist Responses: 23 Hezbollah chief to UN: Ready to swap more prisoners with Israel Responses: 19 Akiva Eldar: Divide J'lem, for the sake of the Jewish state Responses: 6 Aluf Benn: Israel's slap in the face from America Responses: 8 Rosner's Domain Is Jimmy Carter 'tone-deaf' to Jewish sensibilities? (WTR) Will Lebanon pay the price for the prisoner swap deal? What will Obama look for in Jerusalem (and Ramallah)? Why does Israel keep agreeing to prisoner swaps? More Headlines 10:54 Obama kicks off packed Israel trip in flurry of talks 05:51 ANALYSIS / Obama visiting Israel to impress Jewish voters, not Israelis 07:28 Israel keen to crack down on East Jerusalem 08:27 ANALYSIS / Timing of second Jerusalem bulldozer attack was amazing 09:20 Hezbollah chief to UN: Ready to swap more prisoners with Israel 10:37 Talansky to Haaretz: Olmert most astute politician I've met 10:07 Goodbye Golden Girl: Comic actress Estelle Getty dies at 84 10:48 Hundreds turn out for Tel Aviv rally in honor of Gilad Shalit 04:55 Iran hackers target Israeli Web site over message by Jewish group 09:18 Senior IDF officer seriously hurt after jeep flips over in south 09:23 UN: Violence in Gaza dropping, peace developments on rise 09:47 Livni: When I'm PM, I want a unity coalition with Labor and Likud 01:48 Olmert government to hold first meeting on global jihad Wednesday 05:31 Man ordered to pay wife NIS 55,000 for refusing to divorce her 06:50 New Clean Air legislation sees heavy fines, jail for polluters Previous Editions Select Day 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul

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