Shahar Mizrahi: "I am entering the prison with my head held high."
By JPOST.COM STAFFshahar mizrahi 311(photo credit: Channel 10)
Shahar Mizrahi, the policeman convicted of manslaughter for shooting a car thief, arrived at Gilboa prison Sunday to start serving a thirty month sentence.Mizrahi said "I am entering the prison with my head held high."RELATED:Editorial: Outlaws over lawmenPolice, Court in war of wordsPolice stunned at Supreme Court rulingFour years ago Mizrahi opened fire on Mahmud Gnayem from Baka al-Gharbiya, after Gnayem failed to stop the stolen car he was driving.The policeman was accompanied by colleagues and friends including Northern District Police head Cmdr. Shimon Koren.The Supreme Court rejected Mizrahi's earlier sentence appeal and eventually doubled it from fifteen months to thirty.Mizrahi said that "like everything else I have done in my life I will also do this with excellence."
Mizrahi has argued all along that he acted in self-defense, and appealed his 15 months prison sentence to the Supreme Court. He was stunned when the sentence was doubled."I receive a lot of support and I believe that the president will make the right decision," Mizrahi said regarding a pending decision to be made by President Shimon Peres whether to pardon him or not.Widespread outrage in police ranks has continued to be expressed regarding the conviction and doubling of the sentence.
