On the 30th day since her mother's death: Woman arrested on suspicion of threatening to murder her son
The police arrested the woman after she had consumed alcohol and requested to extend her detention and send her for a psychiatric evaluation. After it became clear in court that the son does not wish to file a complaint and said he does not feel threatened, the woman was released.
A woman who lost her mother about a month ago was arrested on suspicion of threatening to murder her son, but was released under restrictive conditions after it became clear in court that the son himself does not feel threatened and does not wish to file a complaint.
The police requested to extend her detention and send her for an initial psychiatric evaluation, but the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court ruled that there is no justification for her continued detention.
The incident occurred after a report was received by the police about a woman threatening to murder her son. Police officers who arrived at the scene heard the words from her, and she was arrested.
At the hearing to extend her detention, the police representative, Chief Warrant Officer Guy Calderon, said that the suspect links herself to the allegations and that she told the police she would murder her son and even repeated the words during her interrogation. The police requested to extend her detention for the purpose of conducting investigative actions and also to send her for an initial psychiatric evaluation.
However, during the hearing, it turned out that the suspect's son told the police that he does not feel threatened and that he does not wish to file a complaint.
Even before the hearing, a dispute arose regarding the manner in which the mother was brought to the courtroom. She was brought in with leg shackles, and attorney Gal Silverman, who represented her on behalf of the Public Defender's Office, requested to remove the shackles. According to him, she did not try to escape and did not use violence.
"In a period of crisis"
The mother's attorney requested to release her and argued that she has no criminal record and that she is in a period of crisis following her mother's death. According to him, the day of the hearing was the 30th day since the mother's death, and the memorial service was held on that day.
The attorney noted that alcohol was consumed near the time of the incident and argued that under these circumstances, there is no justification for continued detention. He also raised claims regarding the conditions in which she was held after her arrest. According to him, the mother claimed that she spent hours in the detention cell without food and water and that she was arrested outside her home while barefoot and taken from the place without shoes.
He also argued that the mere desire to perform an initial psychiatric evaluation on her does not constitute grounds for continued detention.
Judge Harmelin accepted the defense's position and ordered the mother's release. In his decision, he noted that she explained during her interrogation that her mother passed away about a month ago and that the things she said were said under the influence of alcohol.
He also noted that the police spoke with her son, who said that he does not feel threatened and does not wish to file a complaint.
"The respondent has no criminal record and has no real ability to obstruct the investigation," the judge determined. He added that there is no indication of a psychiatric history and that "her behavior can certainly be explained by intoxication."
The court ordered her release subject to a personal undertaking of 3,000 shekels and a third-party guarantee in the same amount. In addition, she is prohibited from approaching within 100 meters of the address determined in the decision for seven days, and she is also prohibited from contacting her son during that period.
