Aron Gets New Lawyer, Along With Better Shot At Insanity Defense

Howard Greenberg, standing with the rest of Levi Aron's defense team, speaks to reporters on Monday (Robert Stolarik for The New York Times)

Levi Aron, the accused killer of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky, received a new addition to his defense team, as well as a better chance at life in a state mental hospital, rather than the penitentiary.

Veteran attorney Howard Greenberg addressed reporters after an appearance before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neal Firetog yesterday, telling them that although Aron was found fit to stand trial, the so-called Butcher of Borough Park was insane during the act of murdering the 8-year-old boy.

From Daily News:

Greenberg slammed the detailed confession his client gave to the authorities after cops found the boy’s severed feet inside his freezer.
Aron “said what they told him to say,” Greenberg said.
“My opinion is that you can get this guy to admit he shot Kennedy if you spend enough time with him,” he said. “The statements they attribute to him will come back to bite the prosecution in the tuchus.”

Prosecutors refused to discuss Greenberg’s accusations.

Aron, who was on Rikers Island during the hearing, appeared via video. According to the NY Times, the defendant seemed “catatonic, ” not moving or saying more than one word the entire time.

The judge assigned to the case had previously been very critical of defense attorneys Pierre Bazile and Jennifer McCann – chastising them for speaking about the case with others, as well as their inexperience.

According to the Times, Judge Firetog has set the next hearing for December 21.