Last update - 00:00 03/01/2007
Police: We're partly responsible for difficulties in Katzrin murder probe
A representative of Israel Police conceded Wednesday that the police is partially responsible for the difficulties faced investigating the murder of Katzrin teenager Tair Rada last month.
Yoram Azoulay, from the Galilee police, also said it was a mistake for Acre Magistrates Court to partially lift a gag order it had issued the day before.
Azoulay said continued publication of details of the case would likely influence witness testimonies, including those of teenagers.
"I don't remember such a high-profile case," said Azoulay. "The media has already ruled that [prime suspect Roman] Zadorov is innocent and has bent the direction of the investigation."
The court decided to scale back the gag order it imposed the day before, following court petitions from the media, including Haaretz.
Azoulay also blasted the private investigation into the murder initiated by Tair's family, saying it was doing more harm than good.
"Small children are afraid to go to school because all of the private investigators the [Rada] family has hired and all of the unreal reconstructions of events are turning students into suspects in the eyes of the public," he said.
"Children are afraid to testify so that they won't be suspected in the murder," he added. He said the media has already misquoted the testimony given by a friend of Rada. This proves that "the public spirit is influencing teenagers," he said.
Attorney Tamar Glick, who represented the media in the hearing, said Wednesday "if the police representative believes that a private investigator is likely to disrupt the investigative procedure, it is not necessary to issue an order against all communications media.
In his ruling, Judge Rahamim Tsemach said that the gag order would no longer apply to "things already published in the past, but will apply to private investigations, testimony, suspects' identities."
Tsemach ruled that the gag order would remain in place until Thursday January 11 and would not apply to public procedures administered in court, such as remand extension hearings, "excluding details that those facilitating custody decide should not be published because of possible harm to the investigation."