Danny Katz – will his killers be freed?
Reproduction photo: Elad Gershgorn
Murdered teen's parents: Releasing killers insane move
Relatives of Danny Katz slam possibility of early release for Arab murderers of Haifa boy
Murdered teen Danny Katz's relatives arrived Tuesday morning for a hearing into a petition submitted by his convicted killers, who are seeking early release from prison.
"The thought that Danny's murderers will be walking around free seems delusional and insane to us," one relative said. "We hope the Release Committee will avert it." Katz's parents were able to voice their views during the hearing, which took more than six hours. A decision on the killers' petition is expected in about a month.
Katz killers at court (Archive photo: Sebastian Scheiner)
The decision to allow the parents to participate in the hearing and present their position is considered unusual – the murderers' lawyer refused to take part in the meeting as long as Katz's parents, Moshe and Mira, were present, yet the judge dismissed her demand out of hand.
The 15-year-old Danny Katz was murdered in December 1983 after leaving his Haifa home. His body was found in a cave four days after his disappearance. In 1985, the Haifa district court convicted four Arab men of abducting and murdering the teen based on their confessions.
Following a lengthy struggle, a retrial was ordered over claims that the confessions were acquired illegally – yet the four were convicted in the second trial too. About a year ago, President Shimon Peres commuted the sentence of three of the killers to 30 years. Katz's family petitioned the High Court of Justice against the decision, but its appeal was denied.
Katz's father slams Peres
Recently, the three submitted a request to have their prison term shortened by a third for good behavior. Should the petition be approved, they will be freed in the coming weeks.Katz's father, Moshe, again expressed his anger at Peres' decision, which brought the murderers' release closer.
"Previous presidents refused to deal with this case. What was the rush for this president? Why does he refuse to meet us and explain his position in favor of releasing the mad killers and psychopaths who murdered our child?" he said.
However, the family still believes it is not too late to avert the release and expressed the hope that the parents' message to the Committee will be heeded.
"We are here to stop the process and we won't allow for the possibility of one day encountering these murderers at the mall or on the street," Katz's brother Yoav told Ynet.
