Book Review: The Murder of Tair Rada and the Roman Zadorov Case – Institution, Justice, Citizens, and Social Media

תקציר

Azi Lev-on's book examines one of the most talked about murder cases in Israeli society. In 2006, a 13-year-old girl was murdered at her school. After a few days, Roman Zadorov, who worked on the school grounds, was arrested as a suspect in the murder. In 2010, Zadorov was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, but in 2023, he was acquitted following a high-profile retrial. Lev-on's book offers a unique point of view on the case, anchored in communication studies. He focuses on the role of social media platforms in facilitating widespread legal activism and affecting formal criminal procedures. From a legal point of view, this online civil activity can be understood as a case of privatization of the legal system - specifically the criminal legal system - through crowdsourcing. During the trial, investigation materials were produced, processed, and deciphered through many individuals who functioned as "armchair detectives." Lev-on emphasizes the ways in which these findings contributed to the acquittal of Zadorov. However, while crowdsourcing police work has many advantages, it may also involve many drawbacks that warrant careful consideration.