Court orders evaluation to look into reversing Ramon conviction
Former justice minister asked court for evaluation, due to his lack of a prior record.
By Nir HassonThe Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court decided Wednesday to send former justice minister Haim Ramon to an evaluation before sentencing, which will make a recommending regarding whether his conviction for indecent behavior should be overturned.
The former justice minister was convicted roughly three weeks ago, for kissing a female soldier against her will.
In ordering the evaluation, the judges accepted Ramon's attorneys request, and rejected the state's position on the matter.
The sentencing phase of Ramon's trial began Wednesday. During his opening statement, Ramon's attorney Dan Sheinman asked the court to send Ramon to an evaluation before sentencing, in order to examine the possibility of overturning his conviction and solely sentencing him to community service.
Sheinman said Ramon never denied kissing the soldier, and that even prior to his conviction he had already publicly paid a heavy price. According to Sheinman, "Ramon spent 30 years in public service without a stain. Why to we need to go all the way without any connection to the man? Are we interested in nobody wanting to go into public service?"
The defense added that this is Ramon's first conviction, and that he suffered an injustice due to the investigative failures referred to the judges in their ruling.
Prosecution attorney Ariela Segal-Anteler asked the court to reject Ramon's request, and to not even consider overturning the conviction. Segal-Anteler said that overturning the conviction would send the wrong message to the public.
"Precisely because he is a senior elected official, and especially because he was the justice minister, who is in charge of the law and approves laws with his signature, including laws regarding sex crimes, the norm that we have to demand of him must be higher than that of a regular citizen," she said. "He is expected to behave with extreme care, and he must be held to account based on higher standards."
Segal-Anteler added that Ramon has never expressed regret for his actions.
The next hearing in the sentencing phase has been scheduled for March 15, after the evaluation before sentencing.
Ramon faces a maximum of three years in prison. However, given that Ramon committed a relatively minor form of indecent behavior, as well as his lack of a prior record and his public standing, the judges will likely opt for a minor sentence.
The prosecution is also expected to ask for several months' community service and possibly a suspended prison term.
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Former minister Haim Ramon. (Moti Kimche) |
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Thanks for your common sense. I am willing to generalize...
and bring friends to say that the girl was a known floozy etc. Seems hard for many people to understand that putting the kiss aside he did enough to get a jail sentence and to shame his office. For 3 judges to add in the summing up that they found him (minister of justice) to be a professional liar is outrageous. Same with Katsav. Many people will say, "well it's only four women that probably wanted it anyway and the wiretapping he didn't know about and well the gifts, well that was maybe a mistake". The country is going through a cleansing process which should ultimately be good ..
guilty - ashem - אשם accused - neesham = נאשם Same root .. and judging my Hebrew without ever having heard me speak will make you appear foolish to many people. My point is that I don't see how an evaluation can overturn the judgment. The article is very badly written and confusing as it also goes on to say 'sentencing' him to community service. He wouldn't be 'sentenced' if the judgment was overturned. BTW - I am a qualified English teacher and edited dialogue on major films for 30 years. No hard feelings. Regards, Mike
how enlightening: if you're a public servant, it doesn't matter if you're an unrepentant convicted criminal. fabulous. I'[ll remember that the next time I decide to kiss someone 1/3 my age, who works in a government position, while I am a minister of JUSTICE and am sworn to abide by the RULES.
Haim Ramon was tried for kissing someone. He believed the other party wanted the kiss. The other party says she didn't. And a judge decided that Mr. Ramon's version was "less believable". ...and you would prefer even further charges?
Hebrew difference between charged and guilty stop reading the Hebrew and posting in English until you get your Hebrew to the level of a one month Ulpan-trained new immigrant.
The longer one mulls over the Ramon kiss case, the more ridiculous it seems that so much time, energy and resources are being invested in it. All the more so considering the extremely light-headed behaviour of the young woman prior to the act, and her ability to go off for an overseas holiday immediately afterwards. OK, enough, Ramon has now been punished and punished again with no possibility of redress.
For three judges to say that a minister of justice continually lied throughout the hearings is horrendous. And incidentally, so is his record as a politician. His loss is no loss as he was never more than an opportunist. Forget the 'kiss' he should be sentenced for lying. The article is not really very clear. I don't think that it is about 'overturning' the guilty verdict but about the sentencing. Not sure but it is not clear .. An "evaluation" isn't a retrial or an appeal! The Hebrew would for 'charged' comes from the same root as 'guilty' which always bothers me in Hebrew.
The conviction must be overturned. The original indictment was strictly political. It should never, never have been brought into a law court. Ramon must be freed unconditionally.