Katsav becomes Israel's first ex-president to go on trial

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Israel's ex-president Moshe Katsav appeared before a Jerusalem court on sexual harassment charges on Tuesday, becoming the country's highest-ranking former official to go on trial.

Flanked by his wife and escorted by dozens of police officers, Katsav made his way into the courtroom to shouts of "rapist, rapist!"

As the trial got under way, Katsav's lawyers announced that he wanted to annul a plea deal with the prosecution under which he would be tried only for sexual harassment, indecent acts and suborning a witness, but not for rape.

"My client wants to annul the compromise agreement and fight to demonstrate his innocence," attorney Avigdor Feldman told journalists after the hearing, which lasted less than half an hour.

In seeking to reverse the deal, the 62-year-old married father of five faces the risk of tougher charges that could include rape."

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Mazuz: Katsav indictment will be severe

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3529289,00.html

Attorney general responds to former president's decision to renege plea bargain, says he was surprised by defense attorneys' conduct. 'In any event, one must assume that the implications of this move are clear to Katsav,' he says

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"Several hours after former President Moshe Katsav reneged on the plea bargain he had signed with the State Prosecutor's Office, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz hinted Tuesday that he plans to charge Katsav with rape offenses.

In a detailed statement, Mazuz said that he was surprised by the defense attorneys' conduct. "In any event, one must assume that the implications of this move are clear to Moshe Katsav," he added.

The attorney general noted that on the eve of the plea bargain, his clear inclination was to file an indictment which would include the most severe offences Katsav was suspected of, despite the difficulties raised.

Mazuz's announcement followed a consultation at the State Prosecutor's Office, several hours after Katsav arrived at the Jerusalem Magistrates' Court and reneged on the plea bargain."

[azurnoir]

1. Have to wonder what changed

something must have. On the side however

I have to again wonder about "political" wives :wtf:

[Scurrilous]

2. Prosecutor leans toward two rape counts for Katsav

<snip>

"State Prosecutor Moshe Lador is leaning toward indicting former president Moshe Katsav on two counts of rape, according to sources in the prosecution.

A final decision has not yet been made. But the sources said Lador currently believes that the most likely outcome of the deliberations is a decision to charge Katsav with two counts of rape against A., who worked under him when he was tourism minister.

A. claims that Katsav raped her twice: once in his office in Tel Aviv and once in a hotel in Jerusalem. In both cases, the then-minister used force, she says.

Ever since Katsav withdrew from a signed plea bargain in April, the prosecution has been holding feverish discussions on a revised, more serious indictment. The main question has been whether to charge him with forcible indecent assault or rape.

The original draft indictment against Katsav, before the plea bargain was reached, did include rape charges, along with a host of lesser sexual offenses such as exploiting a superior-subordinate relationship to obtain sex. It dealt with offenses allegedly committed against five different women."

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