Illness, holiday postponing Rubashkin trial until Friday

The child labor trial for Sholom Rubashkin won't resume until Friday because Rubashkin, 51, continues to receive treatment for an infection and because he will be observing a Jewish holiday on Wednesday and Thursday.

Both prosecutors and defense attorneys showed up at the Black Hawk County Courthouse for trial Monday morning, but Rubashkin, who had been staying at the Linn County Jail in Cedar Rapids, was absent.

Rubashkin's wife, Leah, said he had been complaining of a bite or infection on his arm since last week. The infection apparently became worse over the weekend, and he was taken to a hospital.

His wife said Monday morning she hasn't been able to talk to him.

Leah Rubashkin said her husband first noticed the sore on his arm the week of jury selection after he spent a night at the Black Hawk County Jail in Waterloo. She said it cleared up when he given antibiotics, but on Sunday he told her in a phone call from the Linn County Jail that it was getting worse.

Last week, before the infection became an issue, Judge Nathan Callahan told jurors they wouldn't have to report to court Wednesday and Thursday because of the Jewish Shavuot holiday. He said attorneys will be in court those days to go over proposed jury instructions.

Sholom Rubashkin is on trial for 83 counts of child labor violations in connection with 31 minors who were allegedly found working at the Agriprocessors kosher meat packing plant in Postville. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 27 in federal court on fraud charges stemming from bank loans to the kosher meatpacking plant that he managed.

-- Jeff Reinitz, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier