The lawsuit against Gil Ofarim weighs heavily. The musician, who claimed in October 2021 to have been insulted anti-Semitically, is accused of defamation and false suspicion. Now two top lawyers from Munich should help him. In an interview with “Bild” they accuse the responsible judge of bias.
dr Alexander Stevens and Dr. Alexander Betz is the name of the two lawyers who represent Ofarim. They reject the responsible judge, reported the “image”. In a conversation, he claimed that he found it difficult to imagine Ofarim’s “alleged sequence of events”. In addition, the judge is said to have said that there was “no significant problem” with anti-Semitism in Leipzig.
Possible “show trial”
But the 2nd criminal chamber of the Leipzig Regional Court must also be replaced, according to the lawyers. “Because a large criminal chamber is usually responsible for hearing the most serious charges such as brutal robbery or rape,” Stevens explained to “Bild”. A “show trial” is imminent.
However, the public prosecutor’s office can also bring other cases before the second criminal chamber, reports “Bunte”. This is also possible in the case of particularly extensive or important proceedings. It is still unclear whether there will actually be a trial against the singer.
The incident
Gil Ofarim claimed in an Instagram video in 2021 that he had been a victim of anti-Semitism. An employee of the hotel “The Westin” in Leipzig did not let the musician check in because of his necklace with the Star of David. The video went viral and The Westin was heavily attacked online. Surveillance footage later released showed no Star of David necklace.
The public prosecutor then mediated against the singer. The anti-Semitism allegations would still burden the hotel manager. The accusation changed his life.
+++ This article first appeared on musikexpress.de +++