Michal Sela's husband, alleged killer: I don't know how she died
This is the first time he has testified in court
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFMichal Sela, who was stabbed to death in October 2019.(photo credit: Courtesy)Eliran Malul – husband and alleged murderer of Michal Sela said in court on Wednesday that he doesn’t know how his late wife died. He claimed she stabbed him, forced him to drink scotch, and was laying on the floor dead alongside pills when he woke up, The Jerusalem Post's sister publication Maariv reported. This was the first time he addressed the court and explained his version of the chain of events which led to Sela’s death. He added that she would hit him and once slapped him when he told her he is too tired to clean the house.The alleged murder took place in October 2019. The charges against Malul describe him as stabbing her repeatedly in their Motza home outside Jerusalem and staying next to her body for about 17 hours with their infant daughter in the house before taking the baby girl to a neighbor and asking for help.Neighbors had called the police after Malul had come to their door, covered in blood, and given them the baby, after which he reportedly fainted. He was found with stab wounds to his stomach and neck in serious condition.Calling Malul “my sister’s murderer,” Lili Ben-Ami said in a tweet that he “demeans women and obeys men.”Sister of Michal Sela speaks at the Knesset committee's discussion on the rise of domestic violence during the coronavirus outbreak, June 22, 2020 / NESSET SPOKESPERSON'S OFFICE She claimed that “six brave women” who dated Malul before his marriage stepped forward and shared with the court how he allegedly abused all of them. They described a spectrum of violence ranging from shaming to beatings and described him as “an expert in making you feel guilt.”She added that when he was asked about past relationships, Malul would speak ill of them. She compared him to a viper that, unknowingly, she and her family allowed into their home.She warned that Malul is able to “push buttons” in people’s hearts and can pull at the heartstrings of both men and women to gain their compassion.Malul’s ex-fiancée, who had abruptly ended their engagement, said that these are “very difficult places to open,” and when asked if there was violence in their relationship, she simply said that it is “a matter of definition,” according to Channel 12.
The deadly incident involving Sela led to a change in the Guardianship Law in January.Those who murder or attempt to murder their partners in acts of domestic abuse will now automatically lose their guardianship rights over the couple's children.Sela was a social worker and an activist who, on the night of her death, had returned from a workshop on female empowerment. Malul was also a social worker; they met while helping at-risk teens. Police investigators found a diary written by Sela in which she described her relationship with Malul as being turned to “shreds,” according to N12. Investigators believe that the statements found in the diary may have been the motive for murder.Tamar Beeri contributed to this report.
