Feldman says court erred when it accepted Aleph's credibility without testimony, accuses former A-G Mazuz of swaying justices' ruling.
By JPOST.COM STAFFAvigdor Feldman_311(photo credit: Ron Friedman )Former president Moshe Katsav's defense attorney, Avigdor Feldman, said on Thursday that the Supreme Court was biased against Katsav even before they reviewed the case.Feldman said that rape victim 'Aleph' showed clear discrepancies in her testimony against the former president.Feldman said that Aleph's claims that she never called the President's Residence, nor asked for work, were false. He also insisted that she was wrong when she gave the chronology of events that led up to her encounter with Katsav."We have proven unequivocally that at least one of the rapes could not have occurred according to her story," Feldman said. "The complainant, and I say this despite the ruling, lied on multiple occasions." Feldman said the court was biased against Katsav, and that media presence bolstered the complainant.RELATED:Kadima MKs laud court ruling on Katsav rape case Supreme Court upholds Katsav's 7-year rape sentence"No wonder the court believes her. She didn't come alone. She came with troops of journalists. They accompanied her," Feldman said.
Feldman chastised the court for accepting the Tel Aviv District Court's position on Aleph's credibility, saying that stance proved the court's bias against Katsav.The defense attorney also took a jab at former attorney-general Menachem Mazuz. According to Feldman, Mazuz said Katsav was guilty before the indictment against him was issued, and his statement swayed the Supreme Court in their ruling.Feldman hinted that the defense may take additional steps, including calling a new witness."I will read the full verdict; we only heard the summary. We will think and consider the options together, [and decide] whether or not it is appropriate to request further hearings," the defense attorney said. "There is the legal possibility of preparing a hearing before an expanded panel of judges."The Supreme Court upheld the Tel Aviv court's ruling, and the former president's seven-year prison sentence.
