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Last update - 18:26 21/01/2008 Court orders release of elderly suspect in botched suicide pact with his wife By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: suicide pact  The Acre Magistrates Court on Monday ordered the release of Miklos Gal, an 84-year-old Holocaust survivor, who was arrested last week for allegedly murdering his wife Kathleen, 84, before attempting to kill himself. The judge ruled that Gal did not pose a threat to society and that upon his release from hospital, he would be transferred to an elderly citizens' home under the supervision of family members. Police requested Monday that implementation of the judge's ruling be suspended and say they are considering appealing the decision. Advertisement Last Wednesday, the couple was found unconscious in their Nahariya home. The wife was declared dead at the scene by paramedics, while the husband was taken to hospital in serious condition. Police detectives who arrived on the scene found that Kathleen had been shot in the mouth, and submitted her body for autopsy. The postmortem revealed that she had been shot after swallowing pills. Her husband was placed under guard at the hospital. On Sunday he admitted that he had shot his wife after they both swallowed a large amount of pills. Gal's attorney, Moshe Gilad, explained that his client wanted to spare his wife needless suffering and that he had planned to shoot himself as well but passed out before he could do so. Gilad said the couple had been together for over 60 years. "They met while they were still children and they went through the Holocaust together. They were in three different concentration camps and afterward they decided to marry. They had two children," Gilad said. Letters were found in their home, in which the couple explained that they had decided to put an end to their lives due to their poor health and a desire not to become a burden on their family. "The gas, electricity, telephone and water must be disconnected, the refrigerator must be emptied and coffins must be ordered," the two wrote in a joined suicide letter. "We decided not to continue living.... At our age we cannot expect to have better times and fighting the inevitable will only lead to unnecessary suffering and humiliation," they wrote. Kathleen Gal was buried on Sunday. "We need a few days to digest what happened," a family member said after the funeral. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Vision of cooperation Saudi prince says if Israel leaves Arab land, it could join the Arab world. At odds with PM Bolton says the final IDF op in Lebanon had no impact on UN truce talks.

Today Online Day after Gaza blackout, PM says 'Gazans can walk' Responses: 269 Poll: Only 16% of Israelis back Diaspora input on fate of J'lem Responses: 42 Source: Israel won't free two-thirds of prisoners demanded by Hamas Responses: 27 Israel launches new satellite bolstering ability to spy on Iran Responses: 37 Gideon Levy: The mass killing in Gaza is just hurting both sides Responses: 49 Rosner's Domain Domain's guest: American Jews must help improve Israel's education Obama's position on Israel questioned, again Why Republican candidate Mike Huckabee worries Jewish voters Rosner's Mailbox: Huckabee the candidate who would not sell Israel out Meadow Soprano is more proud of Israel than the US (WTR) More Headlines 18:23 UN: Food aid to Gaza will be cut if closure goes on 18:00 Day after Gaza blackout, Olmert says Gazan residents 'can walk' 17:55 Ministers to inquiry: Olmert to blame for late Lebanon war push 16:37 Lebanon newspaper says it has photos of IDF soldiers' remains 12:59 Satellite launch bolsters ability to spy on Tehran 16:01 Lebanon says troops opened fire on IAF planes over south of country 18:26 Court orders release of elderly suspect in botched suicide pact with his wife 17:28 Source: Israel won't free two-thirds of prisoners Hamas wants released 13:05 IDF officer lightly wounded, militant killed in Tul Karm raid Previous Editions Select Day 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan

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