High Court Justice Edmond Levy on Monday had harsh words for Jerusalem District Court Justice Moshe Drori regarding his verdict in the case of an avreich who ran over an Ethiopian checkout woman in a parking lot. Drori did not convict the defendant despite security video footage showing the entire event.

The case dates back to January 2006, when the avreich wished to leave the parking lot without paying. Noga Zarwish, who worked there as a checkout person tried to prevent this from taking place. She stood in front of the vehicle, but the avreich nevertheless drove, knocking her down with his vehicle, resulting in a head injury and she lost consciousness.

Drori accepted a request from defense counsel not to convict his client since such a conviction would eliminate any possibility of becoming a dayan in the Chief Rabbinate as he planned. Shas leader Minister Eli Yishai also sent a personal letter to Drori, attesting to the integrity of the defendant, stating he is undoubtedly headed for greatness and a conviction could end this.

Drori took the fact that he had no previous criminal record into consideration but the state refused to accept his lenient decision and appealed to the High Court of Justice.

The prosecution added that just 5 months before the incident, the defendant was apprehended leaving a supermarket with NIS 612 worth of shopping, without paying.

The High Court is expected to rule in the case in the coming days.

It was this case that resulted in Drori losing support for a bid on the High Court bench from the Judicial Appointments Committee.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)