The extradition hearing follows a lengthy and dramatic court saga in Jerusalem that has deeply strained diplomatic relations between Israel and Australia. Half way through Monday’s hearing, Leifer complained she was feeling ill and was excused by the judges. For the extradition case, Leifer’s legal team has hired Nick Kaufman, a former international criminal court prosecutor who has also defended many extradition cases in Israeli courts. He argued that intense public focus on Leifer’s case in Australia would hamper her right to a fair trial – which will be decided by a jury – and presumption of innocence. In his most striking point, Kaufman said while he was not arguing Leifer’s alleged sexual interactions were consensual, the prosecution had “failed to prove … a lack of consent”.

Source: The Guardian July 20, 2020 13:21 UTC