The first indictment resulting from the police riot at Amona has finally gone to trial. Today on the 28th police officer David Edri will be tried for his assault on Yehuda Etzion.
Edri rode down Yehuda Etzion (seen above) on horseback, struck him with the horse knocking him down and trampled him under the horse's legs. The indictment states, Etzion "hit his head on the ground, and was caused many bruises on his entire body, including internal bleeding in his right foot and a cut in his skull... Edry attacked Etzion illegally and caused him genuine injury."
This is the first case from the Amona police riot to go to trial despite numerous photos and videos showing horrendous brutality, thus far it took this long to get one to trial. Meanwhile policemen in uniform have been attending the trial during work hours (some with nametags removed) to support Edri. This sends an ominious message to the victims and to the judge.
Edri's lawyer has stayed that his client's behavior was reasonably controlled. By contrast mounted police expert Amir Dufdivani testified that when a horse's bridle is release it does not race towards people, but that Edri forced it towards Etzion. Etzion has already won a civil case against Edri winning an award of 23,000 NIS.
Rivka Friedman-Feldman is presiding over the current trial which is a criminal case.
Comments
That photo is so incriminating. Do you know what the officer was charged with? I hope it was attempted murder or at the very least felony assault. He easily could have killed the man, or at a minimum caused a severe spinal injury with paralysis. Not to mention serious head injury.
ReplyDeleteIt's disconcerting also that his fellow officers have showed up in court without nametags on, too. If I were the prosecutor, I'd bring some of the witnesses into court as well.
In any event, I hope and pray the officer gets convicted and does time.
btw, I am certainly glad he is being charged criminally rather than departmentally; something that happens far too often in cases of police brutality.
ReplyDeleteKnowing how corrupt the Israeli system is, he'll probably get off by saying the other guy was responsible for him losing control of his horse.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, with photographic evidence like this I can't imagine a jury acquitting him of the charges.
ReplyDeleteWhen a horse is loosed to follow his head he will go home not to crowds. Its a rule that you never ride a horse back to stables or corral or trailer since it can be dangerous for you..they just want to go home.
ReplyDeleteHorses do not naturally trample people either.
I had a horse step on my foot once. Let me tell you, a thousand pounds of weight hurts like crazy!!
It can crush bones.
No, this has to be done deliberately.
That horse is under its riders control. Anyone who knows horses can see that.
As a matter of fact now that I go back and inspect the photo.. see how he is pulling back directly on the reins? This is causing the horse to begin to "rear" and making him bring his front legs up and down on the man.
ReplyDeleteExecllent comments, Lemmon! Hopefully they will bring an equestrrian expert to testify. what you say much so much sense.
ReplyDeletebtw, Shabbat shalom Sultan, Lemon, and Yoebee
shabbat shalom HF and thank you for your comments also
ReplyDeletethey brought in a mounted police expert to testify and he said it was clearly deliberate.
Post a Comment