Exclusive Interview With R’ Shimon Gross: “We Don’t Want Revenge”

“It’s very severe when its labeled manslaughter” says R’ Shimon Gross commenting on the verdict handed down to the exterminator who was responsible for the death of two of his daughters a’’h.
“The plea-bargain was handed over to the court today, (Tuesday) and there is a possibility that the court will not except it and repeal it”, family members say. “The family and state have no intention of repealing it. In three weeks, another hearing will be held, open door, there it will be decided if to accept the plea bargain”.
R’ Shimon says “the charges against the exterminator are ‘two accounts of manslaughter, not, ‘causing death through recklessness’. This term is a very strong and very significant from a judicial perspective. It shows that the state took a very strong stance over here.
For example: The soldier who shot the terrorist in Chevron, Elor Azaryah, is being charged with ‘manslaughter-death through recklessness’. However, in the case of the exterminator, he is being charged with ‘two accounts of manslaughter’ which is very severe and can lead to a sentence of 10-20 years in prison.
An agreement was reached with him, that will significantly reduce the sentence. The prosecution released in official statement saying that due to medical reasons, they have worked out a plea bargain with the defendant”.
R’ Shimon shares happy news “Last Friday, the same day the plea bargain was signed we had a baby girl.
“We don’t have an agenda that he should get a harsh sentence, we don’t want to take revenge. The prosecution consulted us throughout the proceedings of the plea bargain, and we agreed that the sentence should be mitigated as much as possible.

After all we are Ma’minim, it’s not going to help us if he does or does not sit in prison. Everything is from Hashem, we have no interest in penalty, he was just the stick. We believe he got his punishment, nobody would want to be in his position. The prosecution did not totally acquit him, after all we are talking about manslaughter and there is no way they would totally acquit him. It’s also a public statement of deterrence, others should learn a lesson”.

-It’s almost three years after the incident, how is the family coping?
“The incident still resonates daily in our home, to lose two daughters is not something simple, no one should be tested with it. The girls were set to move up this year; one to first grade and the other to gan chova.
“We are seeing a lot of Chessed Hashem, in the last three years since the incident we had two children, a boy, who was born about a year ago, and a girl last Friday.
Our two boys that were injured and hospitalized as a result of the incident still remember everything and try to continue with their daily routine”.

Translated by Eli B.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!