Status: 18.11.2023, 19:09 PM
By: Nadja Austel, Julia Stanton
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The surveillance videos in the Ofarim trial raise questions: the recordings are unclear and possibly manipulated. Two witnesses exonerate the musician.
Update from Thursday, November 16, 21:20 p.m.: On the fifth day of the defamation trial against the musician Gil Ofarim, two witnesses described telephone calls that exonerated the Jewish musician. His former manager, Yvonne P., told the Leipzig Regional Court on Thursday that in a phone call shortly after the disputed incident, Ofarim had been very "agitated". He had told her that he had been insulted in an anti-Semitic manner and asked to arrange another hotel for him.
When questioned by the court, she also reported: "The topic of anti-Semitism is something that has accompanied him all his life." According to her own statement, the 45-year-old knew him well and did not doubt that he had told her the truth. "I knew something bad had happened to him," she said. However, she advised him not to post the Instagram video in which he told the public about the incident. She later received photos of the TV production recorded on the same day, on which the Star of David can be seen on Ofarim's necklace. "I assume that the necklace was still hanging around his neck in the hotel," she said.
Ofarim trial day five: Witnesses exonerate the musician – forensic expert concludes expert report
TV producer Nadine S. also exonerated Ofarim with her testimony. Shortly before the incident with the musician, she had recorded a program on MDR on the same day. During the television production, he was in a good mood, but during the evening phone call he was "totally exhausted and also shocked". The producer also confirmed that Ofarim wore the Star of David.
Subsequently, the expert and digital forensic expert Dirk Labudde had his say again to conclude his expert opinion regarding the video analyses of trial day number four. The Star of David is not perceptible in the videos from the hotel lobby. "We don't find anything reflective on the chest," he said. But the expert admitted: "If I don't see an object, it doesn't mean it's not there." In addition, a corresponding reflection after Ofarim's departure from the hotel, while sitting on the curb, was verifiable. According to Labudde, this could be the star. However, during a re-enactment of the scene in the hotel lobby on December 6, 2021, the Star of David was captured by the cameras.
In the defamation trial against Gil Ofarim, two witnesses exonerate the musician today. © Hendrik Schmidt/pa/dpa/Symbolbild
Fourth day in the trial: Two seconds are said to be missing in the Ofarim video – allegations of manipulation in the room
First reported on Thursday, November 16, 12:55 p.m.: Leipzig – Actually, the surveillance video of the Westin Hotel in Leipzig in the defamation trial against the musician Gil Ofarim was supposed to provide clarity. Instead, the opposite seems to be true. On Wednesday (15 November), the fourth day of the trial, the Regional Court of Leipzig devoted itself to the analysis of four videos from three different perspectives by digital forensic expert Dirk Labudde. Based on the recordings, he is supposed to check whether Ofarim was already wearing a chain with a Star of David when he entered the Westin Hotel in Leipzig.
The 41-year-old musician claimed in October 2021 that the manager of the hotel had insulted him in an anti-Semitic way. In Ofarim's Instagram video that preceded the trial, he accuses the hotel's manager of denying him check-in. He is said to have asked him to take off his Star of David. In the Instagram clip, Ofarim wears the controversial necklace prominently. The video recordings of the hotel, on the other hand, are much more blurred.
Surveillance Video in the Ofarim Trial: What Can Be Seen?
On the fourth day of the trial, the video was played in court. In it, Ofarim can be seen entering the hotel with his luggage and joining the queue in front of the reception. At this point, the lobby is busy. The footage shows the musician standing in line, then walking away for a short time and after a short time standing at the reception.
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At check-in, Ofarim seems upset; he gesticulates wildly with his arms. The video does not include an audio track. However, witnesses report that Ofarim is said to have said: "This then goes viral. Bam bam bam!". This statement is interpreted as a threat by Ofarim against the manager. The musician himself denies this. After a short time, Ofarim can be seen leaving the hotel with his luggage.
Surveillance video does not match Ofarim's statement
In a lecture lasting several hours, forensic scientist Labudde presented his findings on the recordings of the surveillance cameras in front of the district court. In his detailed analysis, the digital forensic scientist paid particular attention to the musician's jewelry and clothing. To this end, the expert also subsequently improved individual image recordings.
The result: From entering the lobby to leaving the hotel, according to Labudde, no Star of David was visible. However, he also explained that at times it seemed as if Ofarim was wearing a piece of jewelry. However, it is not clear whether this is a Star of David, the expert concludes.
Ofarim video raises questions: Why are two seconds missing?
However, the video recordings that are relevant in the trial raise even more mysteries. The defense attorneys pointed out to the court that there is a time jump in the video that could indicate possible manipulation. In the footage, a hotel employee can be seen walking from the bar towards the lobby. Then the time counter jumps by two seconds and the man is gone again.
Ofarim's defence lawyer toldthe Bild newspaper: "The suspicion is that the video recordings have been manipulated. The bar employee doesn't show up after that." There is also the accusation that further video material may have been manipulated.
However, the responsible security technician excludes an alleged manipulation of the video recordings. According to his own statements, he had secured the video footage a few days after Ofarim's accusations on the instructions of the police. However, the defense attorneys criticize the fact that, in addition to him, hotel employees were also able to access the recordings and that the hotel's lawyers would probably have shared the recordings with witnesses before the trial began.
The next steps in the Ofarim process
On Thursday (17 November), the fifth day of the trial, the first focus will be on the reports of employees of the hotel. After that, more eyewitnesses are to testify. In the afternoon, Labudde will continue his extensive analysis of the video footage. Eight more days of hearings are scheduled in the trial until December. (jus)