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A strange turn of events in the case of the wealthy heir to a raisin empire who yelled vile antisemitic slurs at his Rabbi neighbor as he tries to avoid going to trial.
A disheveled Bruce Lion, 64, appeared before Judge Ronald Kaye on Monday wearing a yellow jail jumpsuit, a gray beard, and shackles as he fought three felony charges stemming from an alleged antisemitic tirade directed at his Jewish neighbor from the balcony of his $5.3 million Pacific Palisades home.
Lion told the judge he wanted to replace his public defender with attorneys Alexandra Kazarian and Salinas-based John Klopfenstein, who has represented the wealthy Lion raisin heir in previous criminal cases. “We have a long history,” Lion said.
Lion grew agitated when Klopfenstein suggested continuing the hearing until next Monday. “Wait, wait, wait, John,” he shouted as bailiffs stepped between the two.
After a brief recess, the court ordered an on-site competency evaluation. Dr. Becker found Lion “competent to stand trial,” but Klopfenstein immediately requested a second evaluation by Pasadena psychiatrist Dr. Alan Chen.
Asked by The California Post why he wanted a second opinion, Klopfenstein said the defense is pursuing mental health diversion but declined to elaborate.
Before Lion was led back to his cell, Judge Kaye reminded him he remains under a protective order requiring him to stay away from his neighbor, Rabbi Zushe Cunin, whose videos of the heir allegedly hurling antisemitic threats from the balcony of his Pacific Palisades mansion led to his June arrest.
“I don’t know what he looks like. I don’t know who he is,” Lion told the judge, referring to Cunin.
Kazarian asked the court to temporarily lift the order so Lion could retrieve belongings from his home, about 300 yards from the rabbi’s residence. The judge swiftly denied the request.
A woman in the gallery, who declined to be identified, said she would be willing to collect Lion’s belongings. Bail remains set at $225,000, and it is unclear whether he will be released.
Lion faces two felony counts of making criminal threats with intent to terrorize and one count of threatening force based on a person’s beliefs. The California Post obtained multiple videos allegedly showing him harassing Cunin.
In one video, Lion yells, “I ain’t going nowhere, Jew boy. Lose some f—ing weight. Go f—ing work. Do something for a change.”
When he was arrested on June 13, he was also captured on video shouting, “Hey, f— you Jews, f— you Jews, you’re going to hell,” and other antisemitic remarks as officers placed him into a patrol car.
The rant continued when Lion asked the person filming his arrest if they were Jewish. “Hey, are you Jewish, boy? Because it’s starting. Five days ago. Judgment day motherf—er. Tell your friends.”
Lion has a lengthy rap sheet, including serving jail time in 2019 for making criminal threats and having a gun, despite a court barring him from owning a firearm.
In that incident, he was convicted of violating a domestic violence restraining order after authorities said he possessed a firearm and made threats.
He was arrested in 2023 for allegedly throwing rocks at cars in Monterey County, blocking the highway with debris and assaulting construction workers. Lion was booked on charges that included assault, false imprisonment, vandalism, and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm.
Lion was arrested again in 2023 after Fresno police said he violated a domestic violence protective order at the home of his ex-wife. The arrest came one day after officers responded to another domestic violence-related incident at the same address but did not take Lion into custody.
If convicted in his most recent case he faces 9 years behind bars.
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