The trial of two French nationals who hit and killed an Israeli woman with an SUV in Tel Aviv in 2011 and then fled to France to avoid prosecution was suspended on Thursday after one of their lawyers was punched in the court's restroom by an anonymous assailant. The death of Lee Zeitouni, 25, who was crossing a street in a pedestrian zone when she was hit by the speeding SUV, has inflamed public opinion in Israel. The incident spurred a diplomatic row between Israel and France, which would not extradite the two men to face trial in Israel because France does not extradite its nationals. The driver, Eric Robic, 40, who had left a nightclub just before the incident, is being tried on charges of aggravated involuntary homicide and failing to provide assistance to a person in need. He risks 10 years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros ($187,000). The passenger, Claude Khayat, 35, is charged with failing to provide assistance to a person in need. He could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros ($93,000). The criminal trial was suspended until Wednesday after Khayat's lawyer, Regis Meliodon, was struck in the face in the court's restroom during a break in the trial. It is believed the assailant was a friend of Robic's. "I was just about to re-enter the courtroom and they wouldn't let me in," said a friend of Zeitouni's, who with several others had come to Paris from Israel in a show of support. "Then they called me and told me there was a fight inside and a big mess so the trial was stopped in the middle." According to the friend, the group of Israeli supporters received threats while at the trial. "We all got text messages telling us to return to our hotel immediately and not to speak Hebrew. It's all a big mess and no one knows exactly what's going on," the friend said. For many of Zeitouni's supporters, coming to the courthouse was not easy. "It's not a simple thing, to be there in one room with Robic and Khayat, who ran Lee over and left her for dead," one supporter said. "And then to see Kate and Itzik, Lee's parents, and to think how in September 2011 these two criminals ruined their lives -- it's terrible. "I hope they at least get a long prison sentence and that the punishment for both of them is severe enough -- not the five years we heard they could get." Roi Peled, Zeitouni's boyfriend, who was summoned as a witness, said, "Today we have the opportunity to show the world that justice has a chance and that you cannot escape from it. I am already looking forward to the moment where I will be able to look back and know that we did the right thing and to continue on with our lives." 'I was a coward' Robic and Khayat have acknowledged the facts of the case, but deny going through a red light. Robic admitted that he was the driver. The pair had just left a nightclub, where witnesses say they consumed alcohol. In his testimony, Robic said he had consumed five drinks before getting behind the wheel and reaching speeds of 80 to 100 kilometers per hour. He and Khayat boarded a flight to France a few hours after hitting Zeitouni. Robic described the incident in court: "It all happened in a second. I saw her body go flying and I panicked. I was a coward. I wish I could turn back the clock. I waited three years to stand trial." Before the trial, Robic spoke to Zeitouni's parents, saying, "I cannot forgive myself. Nothing I could say would ease your pain." Robic and Khayat are currently in jail pending a separate French investigation into organized fraud and money-laundering. Robic was convicted in April in another fraud case and has six other convictions on his record, including for driving under the influence. Zeitouni's parents, who were in court, did not speak to reporters. Despite the regret expressed by the defendants, Zeitouni's family and Peled are anxiously awaiting the ruling, expected to be made in a few weeks. They are hoping for a conviction and lengthy prison sentences. Joe Guttman, the spokesman of the "Justice for Lee" campaign, which was created by Peled, said, "This is a trial characterized mainly by examinations, cross-examinations and character witnesses. The process is completely different than in Israel. The judge comes to the trial already equipped with all the materials and details of the case. "We are all intently awaiting what's to come. We have a lot of supporters here in France; the locals are really supporting and embracing us. "We trust the court to rule justly. And those two cannot run away from justice."
