A judge in the US sentenced a 62-year-old man convicted of harassing a neighbour and her disabled children to sit at a busy intersection holding a "I am a bully" sign for five hours.
Edmond Aviv of South Euclid, Ohio, sat at the intersection of Trebisky and Monticello for five hours, holding a handwritten sign that said he was a bully who picks on children with disabilities, Northeast Ohio Media Group reported.
South Euclid Municipal Court Judge Gayle Williams-Byers ordered Aviv to serve this public punishment.
In addition to this public punishment, Aviv was sentenced to 15 days in jail. He must perform 100 hours of community service, and he must attend anger management classes.
Aviv endured five hours of people yelling at him from passing cars while holding a sign that said: "I AM A BULLY! I pick on children that are disabled, and I am intolerant of those that are different from myself. My actions do not reflect an appreciation for the diverse South Euclid community that I live in."
He was sentenced for harassing his neighbours, the Prugh family, who includes two adopted African-American children with multiple disabilities.
There were a number of incidents over the past 15 years involving these next door neighbours that went beyond name calling, police said.
"He shovelled dog feces onto the car, the working vehicle of the one son who's a caregiver," Judge Gayle Williams-Byers said.
Jessica King came from Mentor with her son Conner, who has disabilities, to talk directly to Aviv.
"I hope what this judge did to you really shows an example to the community and there's less ignorance because of this," she was quoted as telling him.
Many passersby agreed with the unusual sentence for this unusual bullying case.
"What a disgrace this man is to humanity. Because what he did is inexcusable. Nobody can do something like that to other people," Aldo Canzona, a resident said.
Aviv, who ignored the comments and rarely looked up, said the judge's sentence and ensuing media coverage that garnered national and international attention ruined his life.
He also denied he bullied the family.
"The judge destroyed me. This isn't fair at all," Aviv said.
