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	Man Charged with Paying Child to Give False Testimony NY1 April 14, 2011 http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/137357/man-charged-with-paying-child-to-give-false-testimony [with video] A man was charged Wednesday with paying a child to falsely testify in a Brooklyn rabbi's sexual assault trial. Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes says Samuel Kellner, 49, paid a young boy $10,000 to testify that Rabbi Baruch Lebovits sexually abused him. Kellner also reportedly tried to solicit $400,000 from the rabbi's family, saying he could prevent the children from testifying. The district attorney says the rabbi is applying for bail pending an appeal, but he says Kellner's indictment should not change his sentence. Lebovits is serving up to 32 years in prison for sexual assault. "The question is whether or not the appellate division under all of the circumstances of this case will admit Lebovits to bail," said Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes. "We're opposing it, because we see no connection. It's clear that number two was falsifying, but we have no reason to believe that number three falsified his testimony." Hynes added the bribed witness did not testify, and it was the testimony of a third child that led to the rabbi's conviction. Kellner is charged with perjury, attempted grand larceny, conspiracy and criminal solicitation. If convicted, he faces up to 21 years in prison.
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