Marie Pizem
Photo: Ofer Amram
Ronnie Ron
Photo: Ofer Amram
Court rules Pizem to be tried for murder
Marie Pizem's attempts to evade murder charges in case of her daughter Rose prove unsuccessful
Marie Pizem, who had been attempting to evade an indictment charging her with the murder of her daughter, Rose, was told by the court Monday that the charges would stand and that she must defend herself against them or plead guilty.
Pizem's attorneys, Revital Swid and Meirav Greenberg, claimed that the prosecution had never succeeded in proving that Marie had aided Ronnie Ron in the murder. But the prosecution claims that evidence against Marie proves she took an active part in the murder, or at least persuaded Ron to murder.
Ongoing Case
Aviad Glickman
Tel Aviv District Prosecution said to be considering plea offer made by mother, grandfather suspected of killing four-year-old last summer. If accepted, plea will see Ronny Ron serve life sentence
Ron is charged with murdering Rose, his 4-year old granddaughter, and throwing her body in the Yarkon River together with Pizem, his girlfriend. The body was found in the river a year ago.
Prosecutors Anna Avidov and Keren Kesler say the idea to get rid of Rose was hatched by Pizem and that she pressured Ron to get rid of her, telling him every day that "I can't look at her".
The prosecution also presented a number of letters Marie had written to Ron in which she asks him to murder Rose and threatens to commit suicide if the girl remains in the house. The prosecution says the letters also say Rose was "killing my happiness".
The defense attorneys claim Pizem was not referring to murder but rather to some other solution such as transferring her to her grandmother's care, in France.
Ronnie Ron and Marie Pizem were arrested in August 2008 after Ron's mother reported to social services that the child had gone missing. After months of searching, Rose's body was found in the river.
Last month Ron's attorneys put together a plea bargain by which he would confess to the murder and serve a life sentence, thus exonerating Marie. The bargain has not yet been approved.
Ron has been defending his partner since the day of his arrest, claiming time and time again that she knew nothing of the child's disappearance and thought she was attending boarding school in France.
