Mazuz: I would order an appeal on Olmert's acquittal

Former A-G says that if he were still in office he would appeal former PM's partial acquittal.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Former PM Ehud Olmert after verdict 370 (photo credit: Emil Salman/ Pool)
Former PM Ehud Olmert after verdict 370
(photo credit: Emil Salman/ Pool)
Former attorney-general Menahem Mazuz told Channel 10 news on Thursday night that, were he still in office, he would order an appeal to the Supreme Court on a July partial acquittal of former prime minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem District Court.
Most analysts do not expect the state to appeal the acquittals as they were so nearly across the board and so embarrassing to the state that it would be highly risky for the prosecution to continue to draw attention to the case.
At the time of the acquittals, many called for State Attorney Moshe Lador to resign, with one public figure even metaphorically calling for the chief prosecutor to commit suicide in reference to the ancient Japanese custom when one has failed miserably in one’s duty.
Rumors have surfaced that the state will seek to hit Olmert with a court holding of moral turpitude that would essentially end his political career, but they are unconfirmed.
Mazuz was the attorney-general who gave the green light to the case and still has significant weight in the legal community.
His comments could be viewed as trying to rally support for the state prosecution however it decides to act next, though he said he had no special information about what it would decide.
Mazuz also drew attention to Olmert's conviction and the picture of Olmert receiving envelopes with cash in situations where he had a conflict of interest.
He noted that the court did find Olmert guilty of breach of trust on one count, and that such a finding was very grave when talking about a cabinet minister, which Olmert was at the time of the offense.