Demonstration against autopsy (archive)
Demonstration against autopsy (archive)Flash 90

Following the fatal stabbing of a haredi woman in Beit Shemesh last week, the Supreme Court has ruled that the body may be released for burial without an autopsy being performed.

The tragic event occurred last Friday, when the mentally deficient son of the victim, a woman in her fifties, stabbed his mother in their family home. Despite attempts to resuscitate her, the woman passed away and her son, a man in his twenties, was taken into custody. He has since been charged with murder and his remand extended by ten days.

The State Prosecution then announced its intention to perform an autopsy on the woman, which is forbidden according to Jewish law. The family protested and turned to the ZAKA organization for help, and their attorney, Dror Schussheim, then lodged an appeal to the Supreme Court. On Saturday night, Behadrey Haredim reports, haredim demonstrated in Beit Shemesh against the State's plans.

On Sunday, judges of the Supreme Court ruled that the autopsy was unnecessary and that an angiography would be performed instead, as is the customary practice in similar cases. Justices David Mintz, Noam Solberg, and Ofer Grosskopf ruled that the Prosecution must complete the examination as soon as possible in order to prevent the funeral from being delayed any further. "An angiography will be performed, immediately, so that the deceased can be brought for burial today, before sunset," the judges wrote in their ruling.