First Published at Jewish Business News by Lily Bethlehem
An Israeli Jewish man, Yotam Monjack, living in Boulder, Colorado and an acquaintance, Bryan Jamsheed Tayefeh, are accused of assaulting an American Jew wearing a yarmulke in a bar, as reported by The Daily Camera.
Monjack, aged 27 was charged with one count of second-degree assault and one count of a bias-motivated crime; both are Class 3 felonies. Monjack and Bryan Jamsheed Tayefeh were at the Sundown Saloon when a 22 year old named Seth Finman was ordered by Tafeyfeh and Monjack to remove his yarmulke. When Finman refused and began to walk away, Tayefeh hit him in the head with a pint glass and the surveillance video showed Monjack repeatedly kicking Finman, who received 20 stitches at the hospital and said he does not remember what happened after he was hit on the head. Tafeyeh has been released on bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing. Monjack was held in a Denver jail after the incident and is also released on bond.
Lisa Wayne, attorney for Monjack, said her client has been “mischaracterized, and added, “I’m confident that once the assigned district attorney … and I have the opportunity to talk, we can shed some light on this situation.”