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Accused Wiesel SF Attacker Pleads Not Guilty

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Sep 18, 2007 11:02 pm US/Pacific

Accused Wiesel SF Attacker Pleads Not Guilty

CBS 5 CrimeWatch

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Elie Wiesel
AP

Eric Hunt, the man accused of attacking and attempting to imprison Nobel laureate author and holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel in a San Francisco hotel, pleaded not guilty in Superior Court Dept. 22 on Tuesday morning, according to Hunt's defense co-council Guy Ashley Jameson.

Hunt, of New Jersey, was charged with felonies including false imprisonment, battery, elder abuse, stalking and committing a hate crime for the alleged Feb. 17 attack of 78-year-old Wiesel.

Police say Hunt accosted Wiesel in an elevator at the Argent Hotel and told him he wanted an interview before trying to drag him into his hotel room. Wiesel began yelling, and was able to escape.

Hunt allegedly bragged about the assault on a Web site for Holocaust deniers. He was extradited from New Jersey in July.

Hunt originally told a Superior Court judge he was not guilty by reason of insanity, a plea that was later withdrawn because of procedural issues, Jameson said. Hunt will appear in behavioral health court Oct. 4 to determine if he is eligible for proceedings outside of criminal court.

If eligible, Hunt will receive psychiatric treatment in lieu of jail time if found guilty, according to Jameson. However, the district attorney's office will likely object to the move out of criminal court, Jameson added.

Hunt is currently in custody in the psychiatric ward of County Jail 2, and is set for trial Oct. 26 at the Hall of Justice in Dept. 22, Jameson said. Pretrial conference in Dept. 22 has been scheduled for Oct.1 at 10:30 a.m.