Katsav’s attorney: He’ll be present at deliberations, but won’t admit to charges
Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court declines to postpone deliberations on Katsav plea deal, orders former president to appear in court Tuesday. Katsav’s attorney: He will not admit to charges outlined in indictment
The Jerusalem Magistrates’ Court rejected former President Moshe Katsav’s petition to postpone deliberation on the plea agreement offered in his case. Katsav was ordered to appear in court Tuesday, for primary deliberations regarding the plea bargain which the state offered the former president, terms of which indicate that Katsav will have to admit to a series of sexually-based offenses.
Plea Deal Upheld
High Court accepts Katsav plea bargain / Aviram Zino
(VIDEO) High Court rejects petitions filed against deal signed with former president, thus endorsing plea bargain under which Katsav agrees to enter a plea of guilty to charges of sexual harassment, indecent assault and harassing a witness
Katsav’s attorney, Zion Amir, stated that the former president “will appear in court but will not admit to the charges leveled against him as part of the plea deal. We have humbly accepted the court’s decision, but, as the investigation in this case is still on-going, we will not address the charges outlined in the indictment at this point in time.”
The trial for the former president was supposed to commence on March 26, however, the State Attorney’s Office and Katsav’s attorneys jointly agreed to postpone deliberations for two weeks. Katsav’s attorney’s petitioned the court for this postponement in order to obtain case materials that had not yet been made available to them.
Following this delay, Katsav’s attorneys maintained that the State Attorney’s Office is looking to sabotage the plea agreement offered to the former president, after the state had urged Applicant A to sign documents attesting to the emotional damage that Katsav’s actions had caused her.
The former president’s attorneys had even threatened to delay deliberations an additional time if the State Attorney’s Office fails to disclose additional, relevant case material to them. Ynet had learned that the material in question includes a tape of 'Complainant A' from her days at the Tourism Ministry, as well as several of the complainant’s transcribed conversations.
The State Attorney’s Office has stated that these materials are not pertinent to the case at hand. “This is a superfluous petition,” said an official with the State Attorney’s Office. “The defense wants us to hand over materials which are irrelevant to the case and investigation at hand, and are merely looking to bide their time. Everything was already concluded and agreed upon in this matter, and it is unclear what Katsav’s attorneys hope to gain from these petitions.”
Roughly a month ago, the Supreme Court authorized the plea agreement in Katsav’s case, terms of which indicate that the former president will only be charged with lesser sexual offenses such as commission of a lewd act using duress, as well as sexual harassment.
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