Forensic Expert Testifies in Taair Rada Murder Libel Case, Criticizes Prosecution's Handling

Dr. Chen Kugel, head of the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, testified Wednesday at the Tel Aviv District Court in a defamation lawsuit filed by Ola Kravchenko against the creators of the series "Shadow of Truth," Ari Pins and Yotam Gendelman, her ex-partner Adir Havni, and Roman Zadorov's defense attorney, Yerom Halevi. Kugel, a key witness in the original 2018 criminal trial of Roman Zadorov, reiterated his forensic opinion that the evidence did not implicate Zadorov as the murderer of Taair Rada, and claimed the prosecution disregarded his findings.

Kugel addressed forensic details including bite marks on Rada's body, stating he could not confirm their presence without visible skin trauma, and noted multiple knife wounds. He also discussed DNA testing on hairs found at the scene, emphasizing the importance of re-testing to avoid errors, with consistent results obtained. Kravchenko's lawsuit demands 5.4 million shekels, alleging the defendants publicly accused her, under the pseudonym "A.K.," of murdering Rada and violated her copyrights by publishing her artwork without consent.

Taair Rada's mother, Ilana Rada, attended the hearing and expressed her commitment to uncovering the truth despite the pain, affirming her belief in Kugel's honesty and criticizing the prosecution's repeated attempts to undermine his testimony. Kugel's role as a defense witness in Zadorov's 2022 retrial was notable, as he usually testifies for the prosecution. His testimony then sparked sharp disputes with the prosecution, who accused him of data distortion when defending Zadorov.

During the retrial, Judge Asher Kola warned that ongoing conflicts over Kugel's credibility could damage trust in forensic reports from the institute. Kugel's testimony covered six key forensic issues, including blood spatter, the angle of the neck wound, blade shape, timing of the wrist cut, the empty bladder, and the possibility of Kravchenko biting Rada, which Kugel found unsupported by evidence.