Ofarim trial: Video is intended to clarify – Suddenly a new witness appears

In the trial against singer Gil Ofarim, a claim of bias against the presiding judge appears. The chairman explains what it is about.

Update from November 16th, 2:44 p.m.: A previously unknown witness could give the Ofarim trial a new direction. In the middle of the meticulous analysis of the hotel lobby surveillance video, the musician’s defense announced that a man had contacted them. He is also said to have had negative experiences in the hotel in question. That reports focus.de.

About six months before the incident, which is currently being investigated by the Leipzig Regional Court, the hotel receptionist is said to have said something to the guest that could possibly be interpreted as racist. Accordingly, when asked to have the VAT shown, the employee replied: “We are still in Germany”.

It is not known whether it is the hotel manager who is accusing Ofarim of defamation. The man has not yet testified in court. The information comes from the defense. The judge wants to decide at a later date whether or not to call the man to the witness stand.

Surveillance video should clarify: Did Ofarim actually wear a Star of David in the hotel?

Update from November 16th, 11:49 a.m.: Did Gil Ofarim even wear a Star of David necklace? On the fifth day of the trial, forensics expert Dirk Labudde was asked whether this could somehow be documented, reports focus.de. The Star of David cannot be seen on the surveillance video.

Labudde explains: When small objects are far away from the camera, they are harder to see because the pixels become smaller. Gil Ofarim’s Star of David is therefore “not shown in the recording like the one in the comparison picture”.

At one moment in the video you can see a flash. A reflection, says Labudde. But isn’t the flash too much, the defense asks. The expert replies: “The surface can be larger than the object in the reflection, that would not be unusual.”

Update from November 16th, 6:32 a.m.: The trial of musician Gil Ofarim continues on Thursday. The explanations of the expert who evaluated the recordings from the surveillance cameras continue. It is also about the behavior of those involved in the hotel lobby. Additional witnesses will also be heard. It remains to be seen whether they will make it to the Leipzig regional court. Ultimately, the GDL warning strike is likely to largely paralyze rail traffic.

The day before, digital forensic expert Dirk Labudde had already contradicted the musician’s account. A chain with a Star of David was not visible from the time you entered the lobby until you left the hotel. Ofarim himself has so far remained silent in court.

Expert contradicts Ofarim: Chain with a Star of David was not visible

Update from November 15th, 9:23 p.m.: In the trial against the Jewish musician Gil Ofarim for defamation and false suspicions, an expert contradicted an important depiction of the artist. From entering the lobby to leaving a Leipzig hotel, no chain with a Star of David was visible, said forensic expert Dirk Labudde in the Leipzig regional court on Wednesday.

According to the expert, the chain with the Star of David was only visible when Ofarim recorded the Instagram video in front of the hotel. To do this, the digital forensic expert evaluated the recordings from the surveillance cameras in an extensive process. The expert’s statements in the trial will continue on Thursday.

Now the judge in the Ofarim case is accused of bias

Update from November 15th, 1:32 p.m.: Now Judge Stadler is shaking in the Ofarim trial. A lawyer’s letter is considered a request for bias against the chairman. He himself explains that he has been politically active since 2022 focus.de reported. A decision on how to deal with this will be made next week outside of the general meeting.

Stadler gave a lecture on the subject of extremism for the Association of Judges. The title: “No enemies of the constitution in the civil service – how the constitutional state and democracy can arm themselves against extremists.”

Ofarim trial: surveillance video faked? Now an expert speaks

Update from November 15th, 1:12 p.m.: Is the video in the Ofarim trial even real? Yes, says an expert according to the dpa news agency. The recordings were not faked; he personally secured them after the incident on police instructions. “Manipulation is unthinkable.”

The 51-year-old also contradicts the defense’s accusation that witnesses were shown the surveillance video in the hotel before the police investigation. The technician could not explain how and when this should have happened.

Ofarim trial: Surveillance video from hotel lobby visible to the public for the first time

Update from November 15th, 12:26 p.m.: Further witness statements are expected on Wednesday in the trial against musician Gil Ofarim at the Leipzig Regional Court. The day before, a witness had not confirmed the account that Ofarim had been discriminated against by a hotel manager because of his Star of David. Again Daily Mirror reported, a report from digital forensic expert Dirk Labudde, who evaluated the incident using surveillance cameras from the hotel lobby, will also be presented on Wednesday. But there are no sound recordings.

Surveillance video from the hotel lobby in the Ofarim trial is visible to the public for the first time

Update from November 15th, 6:55 a.m.: Shortly before the end of the third day of the trial against Gil Ofarim, the singer’s defense requested that further evidence be introduced. The data would be on a USB stick and, according to the judge, would be evaluated on one of the next days, reported focus.de. Things will be exciting on the fourth day of the trial anyway. The surveillance video from the hotel will be shown in court and will be available to the public for the first time. In addition, further witnesses should be interviewed.

Update from November 14th, 3:10 p.m.: According to the witness, Gil Ofarim’s account that a hotel manager discriminated against him because of his Star of David did not match his personal perception. The 58-year-old was standing in close proximity to the singer during check-in focus.de reported from the courtroom.

Accordingly, there was a long queue at the hotel reception. The witness admits that he did not hear what the hotel manager and Ofarim discussed when checking into the hotel. But at the counter the singer “made phone calls and gestured”. He therefore experienced Ofarim as upset. “He was angry and then became confrontational,” says the witness. He had the impression that the musician was upset “that he wasn’t pulled out of the queue and given extra treatment.” However, that is only his subjective perception, according to the witness focus.de emphasized.

Another witness incriminates Ofarim on the third day of the trial – not aware of any discrimination

Update from November 14th, 12 p.m.: Another witness is scheduled to speak on the third day of the trial against singer Gil Ofarim. Like focus.de According to further reports, this is said to be a regular guest of the hotel. The witness received his room card separately from the hotel staff and said he could not contribute anything further to the clarification.

According to this, the man probably noticed the discontent in the queue “through Mr. Ofarim”, but he was not consciously aware of it. When asked by the public prosecutor whether the witness had noticed that the sentence “pack your star”, which was relevant in the trial, had been used, he replied in the negative.

Original message from November 14, 2023: Leipzig – Did a hotel manager discriminate against Gil Ofarim because of his Star of David? Or is the Jewish musician lying? This is what the trial against 41-year-old Ofarim, which opened on Tuesday, November 7th, should clarify in the regional court in Leipzig. A surprise now seems to have occurred on the third day of the trial. How focus.de reported that a new witness has contacted the public prosecutor’s office. This therefore puts a strain on the singer.

Ofarim trial: Surprise on the third day of the trial – new witness comes forward and incriminates singer

As the portal further reports, the new witness contacted the public prosecutor’s office by telephone. The trigger was the reporting on the trial. Accordingly, the witness from Brandenburg remembered that he was standing directly behind Gil Ofarim in the hotel lobby during the incident in question. How focus.de Further reported, the witness claims to have experienced “no insult” from the hotel employee. According to public prosecutor Ricken, it is currently not possible to say whether the witness’s account is accurate.

The 41-year-old, who was born in Munich, is in the dock on charges of, among other things, defamation and false suspicions. At the beginning of October 2021, the musician made serious allegations of anti-Semitism against the manager of a Leipzig hotel in an Instagram video. Ofarim was told to take off his Star of David and only then would he be allowed to check in, the singer accused. However, after extensive investigations by the public prosecutor’s office, charges were brought against Ofarim. The case against the hotel manager was dropped.