[Avodah] praying for a convict

[Eli Turkel]

<<There is also a famous story about R' Chaim Brisker raising money on
Yom Kippur for the release of a Bundist from the Czar's prison. The
prisoner was caught with handouts or maybe not-yet-hung posters on his
person. R Chaim delayed Kol Nidre until the 10,000 rubles needed to get
him released was raised. The guy actually was guilty the charge, he was
a Communist. And he was an apiqoreis, halachically guilty. And yet R'
Chaim invoked pidyon shevuyim to get the entire city of Brisk "violating"
(in quotes in case it's hutrah) Yom Kippur.
.....
WADR, the steipler's opinion  must be an extreme daas yachid,  because we
see  the worldwide protest for  many tried or convicted  for crimes
ranging  from  child abuse to larceny to smuggling etc . and it  seems
that the only difference between whether it's secular states or israel is
whether  the protestation is respectful or derisive.....>>

The case with R. Chaim was a political crime. The fact that the bundist was not
religious is irrelevant.
One can also argue about smuggling and it depends on the details. As I quoted
RSZA felt that smuggling using tefillin was beyond the pale.

I can't believe that anyone would protest on behalf of a child abuser.
The cases of
recent riots centered on the claim that the person was not a child abuser and
was framed by the police. However, if the local community knows the person is
a child abuser anyone working on behalf of the person is severely harming the
children and is committing themselves a serious crime. Such a person
must be kept
away from society.

-- 
Eli Turkel