The court will not go according to public opinion in the case of Roman Zadorov's retrial, Vice President of the Supreme Court, Hanan Melcer, said in an N12 interview over the weekend.
Melcer clarified that he was "not saying that there is new evidence" before stating that there is a chance Zadorov will be exonerated.
He also denied that the retrial is happening because the court is giving into public pressure. "I think that in professional matters, especially criminal, we won't go according to public opinion," he said.
Zadorov was convicted of murdering 14-year-old Tair Rada at the Nofei Golan Middle School in Katzrin in 2010, and again in 2014.
Regarding the fact that Zadorov will remain in prison until the trial starts, Melcer said that "it raises difficulties" and said that he has commented on this in the past.
Melcer was the judge who recommended a retrial. In his reasoning he wrote that "the potential consequences of the decision have not escaped [his] notice." He continued that he understands that "the eternal uncertainty of the identity of the murderer only adds to the terrible loss."
Zadorov's retrial was delayed from June 28 and is now expected to begin July 26.