Sergeant Or Hadad
Reproduction: Avi Muallem
Golani misfire: Soldier charged with manslaughter
Sergeant Daniel Dresner accused of showing his friend how he points rifle at Sergeant Or Hadad, firing towards him and killing him. Lawyer: He could have been indicted for causing death out of negligence
A Golani Brigade soldier was indicted Sunday for killing
a comrade at the 51st Battalion after pointing his personal weapon at him and shooting.
The investigation into this grave incident was revealed by Ynet, and includes a series of failures on the command level.
According to the indictment, filed with the Northern Command's Military Court in Haifa, Sergeant Daniel Dresner pointed his rifle at Sergeant Or Hadad and told his friend sitting next to him, "Look how I point at Hadad."
Military Investigation
Hanan Greenberg
Military inquest into accidental death of Golani Sergeant Or Hadad reveals series of failures, including lapsing weapon inspections. Military Prosecution expected to file manslaughter charges against soldier who misfired
According to the indictment, Dresner saw the killed soldier from a distance of about 16 meters (52 feet) and pulled the trigger. Hadad, 20, of Beit Dagan, was critically injured and died of his wounds at the hospital.
Dresner was also charged with weapon offenses committed throughout his military service. The Military Advocacy asked the court to extend his remand until the completion of the legal proceedings.
Dresner told the Military Police's criminal investigation division that that he had not realized he had a bullet in the barrel of his rifle and that he had only wanted to show his friend how to aim it.
Dresner's lawyer, Attorney Aharon Shlein, said before the start of the discussion that this was a borderline case and that the army could have settled for a reduced indictment of causing death out of negligence.
"Even if the soldier failed, and there is no doubt about it, there was room for a wider interpretation on the Military Advocacy's party," said Attorney Shlein. "We are not talking about a dirty criminal from the street, but about a combat soldier in the IDF, a Golani fighter, who made supreme efforts to reach a combat unit."
The lawyer said his client was in a difficult mental state, adding that "this is a painful and very sad incident for everyone."
During the discussion, the sides agreed on keeping the soldier in custody until the legal proceedings are completed. The trial is scheduled to open in 10 days.
