Last update - 00:00 15/03/2007
Despite recommendation, judges unlikely to reverse Ramon conviction
By Nir Hasson, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press
The government's psychological evaluation service has recommended striking former minister Haim Ramon's conviction from the criminal record, but his judges indicated on Thursday that they are unlikely to agree.
Ramon was convicted of forcibly kissing a female soldier. At his initial sentencing hearing, however, he asked the court to strike his conviction from the record, which would enable him to resume his political career. Israeli law allows people to be sentenced without their convictions being recorded.
To bolster his position, Ramon solicited an opinion from the evaluation service, which he submitted to the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court on Thursday. The opinion said Ramon recognizes his responsibility and regrets his crime.
It also noted that leaving the conviction on the record would destroy Ramon's political career, and therefore urged that it be stricken. It recommended that Ramon be sentenced to 180 hours of community service.
Ramon's attorney, Dan Sheinman, urged the court to adopt this opinion at Thursday's hearing, saying: "The price he has paid to date is already out of proportion to what occurred."
But prosecutor Ariela Segal-Anteler objected, charging that Ramon's expressed regret was not sincere.
"Throughout the trial, the defendant never hesitated to vilify the complainant, to portray her as a liar, to put the responsibility on her," she said. "I still haven't heard that he has internalized the fact that he committed a crime."
Moreover, she argued, striking the conviction would send a negative public message and discourage other women from filing harassment complaints.
The prosecution wants Ramon to be given a suspended sentence and required to pay compensation to the complainant. It also wants the court to determine that his crime involved moral turpitude, which would force Ramon to quit the Knesset.
Judge Hayuta Kochan, who heads the three-judge panel, appeared to side with the prosecution, noting that throughout the trial, the defense besmirched the complainant. "We can't ignore the injury to her," Kochan said. "I've handled many cases, and I've never encountered such injury to a complainant. All the witnesses were for the purpose of tarring her."
At the end of the hearing, when Ramon was asked if he had anything to add, he said: "During the initial police interrogation, I already said I didn't behave properly and I acted unethically in kissing the complainant. I expressed regret and sorrow at that time. I apologize for my action. I ask pardon for having hurt the complainant."
The court will hand down its sentence on March 29.
Ramon was convicted in an especially harsh verdict by a three-judge panel on January 31. That would have ended his political career, but the
possibility of canceling the conviction at the sentencing phase arose shortly after.
The probation service made its recommendation in court on Thursday. Lior Gol of the service told Channel 10 TV, calling for replacing the criminal conviction with community service and probation.
She said the finding was based on interviews with Ramon and an assessment of the case. "Usually the court accepts our recommendations," she said.
The case provoked strong statements on all sides - women's rights activists calling for a harsh penalty, while supporters of Ramon and critics of the case countering that his act, while wrong, was not serious enough to warrant a criminal case.
If the conviction is vacated, Ramon could theoretically return to politics, but his job as justice minister was filled after the court ruling.
More on the Ramon case