Woman who killed abusive husband goes free after 18 years in jail
Dalal Da'ud was sentenced to life in prison in 2002 for murdering her spouse who continuously beat and raped her during their 5-years of marriage; she was officially paroled Wednesday, having been in prison since her early 20s
Dalal Da'ud, who was married at the age of 16, was convicted back in 2002 and sentenced to life in prison. The woman, who is now in her early 40s, was officially paroled on Wednesday by the Parole Board.
"I'm very excited, I want to thank everyone, all those who supported me and helped me get out into the world and start a new life,” Da’ud said after her release. “My children and my family are what’s most important to me … I missed my family, my children, and my life. I want to see my children more than anything else.”
Revital Ben Shabat, Da’ud’s lawyer, said the woman has been waiting for this day for a long time. "We thought this would happen a long time ago but unfortunately it was postponed time and time again," said Ben Shabat.
"Dalal is ready for her new life … she will be accompanied by therapists from the Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority, who will help her find employment," she said. “Over time she will be reintegrated into society.”
Her sentence was commuted to 25 years by former President Moshe Katsav and in 2017, President Reuven Rivlin ordered she be allowed to appeal to the parole board for an early release, but that hearing was delayed until June 19, 2019.
The prosecution voiced no objection to the release based on a rehabilitation program Dalal attended during her incarceration as well as her participation in a 5-year parole program.
The extent of abuse Dalal Da'ud endured during her 5 years of marriage was not fully known to the court at the time of her trial.
According to advocacy groups campaigning for her release, she had been continuously beaten and raped by her husband. She had appealed 26 times for help from the police, but no action was ever taken against him.
Dalal had written to Nechama Rivlin, wife of President Rivlin, before her death earlier this month, wishing her good health but the letter was never delivered. Rivlin had made numerous visits to the Neve Tirza women's prison where to two had met.
