Daniel Maoz, the 28-year-old lawyer accused of murdering his parents last
August, is mentally fit to stand trial, according to a report from the Jerusalem
District Psychiatric Committee.
On Tuesday, Chief Judge Tzvi Segal will
hear the recommendations from the committee at the Jerusalem District Court in
one of the final days of the Maoz trial.
A copy of the report obtained by
Channel 10 said that Maoz was fit to stand trial and is responsible for his
actions. This means that if Maoz is found guilty of the murders he cannot plead
insanity.
Daniel Maoz’s twin brother, Nir Maoz, discovered the bodies of
their parents, Noah and Nurit Maoz, stabbed to death in their home in Ramot on
August 11, 2011. Daniel Maoz was arrested approximately a month later, though in
a surprise twist, he accused Nir of murdering their parents, as the two share
identical DNA that was found at the scene of the murders.
State attorney
Yuval Kaplinsky has highlighted Maoz’s gambling addiction, his massive gambling
debts, his suspicious Google searches for “inheritance after murder,” and his
rapidly changing versions of the events leading up to his parents’ murder. In
the closing arguments, Kaplinsky called Maoz’s behavior “almost
schizophrenic.”
Segal berated Kaplinsky for introducing questions over
Maoz’s mental health so late in the trial, but ordered Maoz to undergo
psychiatric testing in June. Maoz did not oppose the testing.
The results
of the testing will be discussed in greater detail on Tuesday. The state
attorney also requested that an additional witness testify on Tuesday at the
Jerusalem District Court. The additional witness was mentioned in an anonymous
letter sent July 10 to Kaplinsky, the Jerusalem District Court and Maoz’s
defense lawyer David Barhoom.
In the letter, obtained by the media, the
anonymous tipster writes that he heard screaming and then saw Nir Maoz run out
of his parents’ home at 11 p.m.
“There is no way this could be wrong! It
was definitely Nir Maoz,” the tipster wrote.
Maoz was re-arrested in his
cell, losing his prison privileges as a result, after police suspected he wrote
the letter himself.
Police also arrested 38-year-old Jerusalem resident
Roni Ben-Arnon, Maoz’s former cellmate, whom they suspect printed and mailed the
letter after he was released.
Ben-Arnon was serving time for traffic
infractions. During the investigation, Ben- Arnon admitted he helped send the
letter.
He told police Maoz had promised that, once he was released, he
would reward Ben-Arnon financially.