Defense Attorney Quits High-Profile Kletzky Child-Murder Case, Says He Cried Over Victim’s Death

Some criminal defense attorneys pride themselves on being able to represent anyone, no matter how repulsive the crime of which they are accused.

But a veteran lawyer abruptly quit a high-profile child murder case in New York this week, saying he had cried over the death of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky and was too affected by the crime to continue to represent the alleged perpetrator, Levi Aron, in the first-degree murder case, reports WABC.

"The allegations were too horrific, and it's not something I wanted to be involved in," said attorney Gerard Marrone. "I have three boys. One of my sons is seven. I looked at my own children and there are no words. You see the victim and you feel so sad."

In a Simple Justice blog post headed "Quitter," Scott Greenfield suggests it would have been better if Marrone had never taken the case in the first place.

"In one sense, I can sympathize. The nature of the crime, being against a child, would have precluded me from taking the case in the first instance," he writes. "I have the ability to pick and choose my cases, and I would not have chosen this one. But then, had I chosen this one, I would never quit."

Hat tip: The Stir.

Additional coverage:

CNN: "Suspect indicted in case of N.Y. boy who was drugged, smothered"

New York Daily News: "NYPD 'car geek' Tom Burke IDs vehicle in video that Leiby Kletzky entered--and busts open case"

New York Post: "Cops investigating whether Leiby 'killer' committed other murders"