Man sentenced to 18 years in prison for murder over a parking space
Victor Katan, 79, to begin his sentence in July, as his public defender prepares an appeal; court also orders him pay $70,000 to family of his victim, Ofir Hasdai, 40
The Lod District Court sentenced a man to 18 years in prison on Tuesday for a 2019 murder committed during an argument over a parking space, as well as ordering him to pay NIS 258,000 ($70,000) in damages to the family of his victim.
The prosecutor’s office had requested a 20-year sentence.
Victor Katan, 79, will begin his sentence for the murder of Ofir Hasdai, 40, at the end of July. Avi Cohen, the public defender representing Katan, said he would be submitting an appeal to the Supreme Court.
In January, the court rejected Katan’s claim that the first shot he fired was in self-defense, and ruled that though he had had “sincere concern for his wife,” who was also involved in the physical altercation, “there was no justification for the shooting.”
As for the second shot, the court did not accept Katan’s claim that it was accidental and because his hand was shaking.
Rather, the judges said, Katan “acted out of great indifference and out of awareness of the nature of the act,” but conceded “it was not proven that he acted out of a desire to cause the death of the deceased.”
Hasdai’s wife and two of their three daughters had been with him at the parking lot of the Azrieli shopping mall in Ramle, when the incident occurred. He was trying to park in a disabled spot for his wife, who has muscular dystrophy.
According to court papers, Katan and his wife Monica arrived in their car and began looking for a parking spot. Monica Katan exited and searched on foot, eventually finding a place for the car to park.
After the vehicle entered the bay, and while her husband was still inside, Hasdai, his wife and two of their daughters arrived in another car seeking to use the adjacent spot but found that it was partially blocked because the Katan’s vehicle was parked over the line.
A row developed when Hasdai shouted at Monica. “Why are you parked in two spots?”
Monica then hit Hasdai with her bag and he responded by shouting “Why are you raising your hands at me?” the indictment said.
Hasdai pushed Monica with both hands, causing her to fall to the ground. He then moved to return to his own vehicle.
Victor Katan came out of his car and shouted at Hasdai, “Why are you hitting my wife?”
According to the indictment, he then went back to his own car, retrieved a licensed pistol from a bag and, without warning, shot Hasdai, hitting him in his right hip.
Hasdai responded, “Why are you shooting me?”
According to the indictment, Monica also told Katan to stop using the gun. At that point Katan aimed at Hasdai’s chest and fired again, causing the fatal injury.
