Prosecutors: Strike may cost state fortune in lost lawsuits

By DAN IZENBERG
Striking government prosecutors are due to ratchet up their sanctions on Wednesday by refusing to show up for arrest and remand hearings regarding several serious categories of crimes, according to a warning issued by the strike committee.
The categories include grave assault in aggravated circumstances, assault with grievous intent, abduction, robbery, possession of drugs, possession of weapons, arson and trafficking in women.
The committee emphasized that this was only a partial list of the grounds for detention requests that will not be contested by the prosecutors while the strike continues. It added that the prosecutors will not participate in any cases being heard before a magistrate’s court.
In a related development, the prosecutors warned on Tuesday that they will not submit responses to lawsuits filed against the state that are due to be heard in court in the coming days.
Some of the cases involve claims for damages involving Operation Cast Lead. The prosecutors warned that unless the state responds to these lawsuits, it will have to pay “huge sums” of money to the plaintiffs.
In a case involving a lawsuit filed by the parents of Inbal Amram against the police for failing to save their daughter’s life, the state is due to participate in a bridging procedure meant to resolve the claim out of court, after Central District Court President Hila Gerstel ruled that the police had been guilty of negligence.
If the prosecution does not appear at the hearing, the state might have to pay damages of up to NIS 2.5 million.
Another lawsuit, filed by the parents of Ma’ayan Sapir, is also due to be heard in court in the coming days. Sapir was 15 years old when she was killed in Rehovot by a known delinquent who had been sent to a closed facility. Sapir’s parents have sued the state for NIS 2.5 million on the grounds that the police did not properly keep an eye on the killer.
In other developments related to the strike, Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court Judge Ido Druyan on Tuesday released from custody two suspects in an armed robbery involving violence, because the prosecution did not show up for the hearing.
In a hearing on Monday, the High Court of Justice issued a show-cause order instructing the Courts Administration and the parole boards to explain why parole board chairmen have cancelled 13 hearings involving prisoners requesting early release since the strike began two-and-ahalf weeks ago.
The Public Defender’s Office is demanding that the judges at least hear the requests in the absence of the prosecutors.
Attorney Moran Freund of the Courts Administration represented the parole boards in the hearing.