Arik Karp trial: Defendants convicted of manslaughter

The maximum sentence for manslaughter is 20 years whereas the maximum for murder is a life sentence.

According to the indictment against Jamil Adas (25), Abd el-Rahman (21) and a 17-year-old boy whose identity has yet to be revealed, the three arrived at the beach where they proceeded to get drunk. They later on saw Karp, his wife Sara and their daughter Otelya sitting on a bench at the beach's promenade.

One of the suspects asked Karp to "hook him up" with either his wife or daughter. When he got up to leave with the two, the suspect called two of his friends, who came running. The wife and daughter fled, while Karp was brutally beaten to death.

When concerned citizens arrived at the scene, the group escaped in a vehicle to a nearby forest where they continued to drink.

The prosecution was unable to explain how the victim's body ended up in the water, where it was found the morning following the attack.

The indictment alleges that at one point, Karp managed to get up and attempted to escape but the assailants wouldn't let go, chasing him, knocking him down a second time and continuing to beat him in the head and upper body while he was defenseless.

Meanwhile, their friends stood on the sidelines watching the beating "taking no reasonable measures to prevent the attack and Karp's killing". Last month, four of those involved in the case including soldier Or Levi were convicted of failure to prevent a crime.

Sara Karp and her daughters in court (Photo: Ofer Amram) 

Deaf ears

The judges detailed their decision at the verdict hearing saying that "the defendants' reactions weren't sweeping denial. They linked themselves to both the time and place of the beating." However, it was stated that there were "questions as to the nature of the incident, the defendants' involvement and the force of the blows Karp suffered, as well as regarding the connection between the blows and Karp's death."

They went on to say that there were discrepancies in the witnesses' statements and stressed that the "indictment contradicted Sara Karp's testimony which indicated a multi-participant assault." The judges also stated that the indictment contradicted Otelya's testimony and so the court chose to accept Sara's version of the events.

Abd el-Rahman. Convicted of manslaughter (Photo: Ofer Amram)

The factual dispute touches upon the force of the attack, the verdict reveals. The defendants presented their version as if the assault was minor and not what caused Karp's death. Judge Diskin said in response: "This was an aggravated and unyielding assault. For most of the attack the victim laid on the ground defenseless…his pleas falling on deaf ears."

Nonetheless, the judges ruled that there was no way to unequivocally determine whether Karp died from the beating or drowning, though the direct cause was clear.

Sara Karp, the widow of Arik Karp whose attackers were acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter, broke down in tears when the verdict was read out after which she said: "If this wasn't murder, what is? My husband was murdered, he was lynched, they killed an innocent man."

While the attackers' attorney said Wednesday that he hoped his clients would receive a lenient sentence.

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