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Chabad explosion suspect waives rights in court; expected to be returned to L.A. soon

[additional-authors]
April 13, 2011

Ron Hirsch, the suspect behind the explosion at a Chabad in Santa Monica, waived his rights to preliminary, identity and detention hearings during a court appearance today in Cleveland, reserving his right to have them in California.

The judge ordered that Hirsch be sent back to California, said U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman Mike Tobin.

Hirsch has been charged with the unlawful flight to avoid prosecution—following the blast, Hirsch fled to Cleveland by bus—and with four felony counts for “explosion with intent to murder, use of a destructive device ane explosive to injure/destroy, possession of a destructive device near a public place and possession of a destructive device near a private residence,” according to a statement put out on Tuesday by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

If convicted of the felonies, Hirsch “faces a possible maximum state prison sentence of life with the possibility of parole,” the L.A. Country District Attorney’s Office’s statement reads.

The court apperance today was Hirsch’s first since his arrest on Monday.

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