Harry Zucker: NYC man, 77, who exposes himself to kids walks free due to bail reform
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK CITY: A 77-year-old serial pervert has been terrorizing a Brooklyn neighborhood by frequently exposing himself to children. But due to New York's lax bail reform laws, he keeps on getting cut loose.
Harry Zucker, 77, has been haunting the kids of a Brooklyn neighborhood, by fondling himself in public in front of kids. Zucker has exposed himself five times since April 27, 2021, according to court records. But he keeps getting bailed out because judges are largely barred from imposing bail on the misdemeanor charges, the filings show.
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“Why is this guy still around? Get him in the system, get the trial, get it done,” Jacob, a concerned dad who works with the Midwood Block Association said. “They’re not taking it seriously. I have a daughter, she’s 9. I have a son, he’s 13.”
Zucker was arrested once in April and twice in May this year but was freed all three times because bail can no longer be imposed on the charges under the state’s controversial reform laws. On June 24, Zucker was found masturbating while sitting on a bench inside of the schoolyard and “looking at children on the playground,” a shocked parent who came to pick up their kid from school told police, according to a criminal complaint. On June 25, the very next day, he was back at it on the lawn chair, facing the school and pleasuring himself while once again “looking at children on the playground,” court records say. “The current legal system is completely failing us just completely,” railed Jacob, who wants Zucker to be jailed “This guy should not be allowed to be near kids … [he] has to go.”
A recent change to the law restored some power to judges, allowing them to set bail if the defendant has an open case involving harm to another person. Because of that, Brooklyn prosecutors charged bail on Zucker’s misconduct. During that arraignment, prosecutors urged the judge to hold Zucker on a $10,000 cash, $20,000 insurance company bond or a $30,000 partially secured bond but the jurist decided to remand him for a psychiatric evaluation. Zucker has said that he has a history of sexual abuse and claimed he was not able to “control” himself, court records show. “I’m sorry I was sodomized by the black man,” Zucker claimed to the judge during the hearing, records show. “It affected my brain and my body. I can’t control what the black man did to me, I cannot control my brain, I cannot control the sexuality of my body, I am very sorry.” Zucker’s Legal Aid Society lawyer has asked for a review of the judge’s ruling, citing a technicality in the law that says psych tests can’t be ordered on non-bail eligible crimes and the judge was forced to send Zucker home a little over a week later, records show.
On Wednesday, September 2, Zucker appeared agitated when asked about the charges against him, at that time, he said, that he has already done his “penance,” though not denying he fondled himself in front of kids. “There’s a curtain between my alley and the schoolyard. I’m not visible to the children in the schoolyard … Nobody sees me!” he said.
“I haven’t done it in the alley where people can see me,” he shouted. “I’ve done penance and penance more will do! Why are we opening old wounds and making them bleed again? There are no problems in the present!” Zucker is due back in court on September 9.