Celebrities to try case of King David

Friday, Feb. 25, 2005 | 8:51 a.m.

Local Jews will scrutinize a hero of their faith Sunday morning by placing ancient Israel's King David on trial for first-degree murder at Temple Beth Sholom.

As the revered slayer of Goliath and the defender of Israel, King David is touted in the Bible as "a man after God's own heart" for his faith.

But David's affair with the married Bathsheba and the subsequent cover-up when she becomes pregnant has blemished David's record for centuries. In the story, David sends Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, to his death at the front lines of a battle.

David's actions have confounded both Jews and Christians as they try to grapple with David the hero versus David the adulterer and apparent murderer, Rabbi Felipe Goodman of Temple Beth Sholom said. Complicating the matter further is that the Messiah is predicted to come from King David's line.

"People in Judaism have this picture of David being almost a saint, and then they read this and they kind of bite their lip," Goodman said.

But despite an apparent confession David makes in the story, his guilt is not "clear cut," Goodman said. Rabbinic writings in the Talmud, for instance, argue that David didn't do anything wrong because God ultimately forgives him and allows him to keep his throne, Goodman said.

"If he was guilty why wasn't he stripped of his kingdom by God?" Goodman said.

Participants in Sunday's mock trial will decide for themselves whether David is guilty or innocent, Goodman said.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will defend David. Las Vegas Municipal Judge Abbi Silver, a former Clark County deputy district attorney, will prosecute.

Judge Joseph Wapner, famous for his time on television's "People's Court," will preside over the celebrity jury and the jury of participants.

Celebrity jurors include Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., Nevada Supreme Court Justice Michael Douglas, District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez, Las Vegas Councilman Steve Wolfson and Las Vegas Municipal Judge Cedric Kerns.

The People v. King David, co-sponsored by the University of Judaism, is a sequel to last year's Trial of Abraham. Last year, Abraham, the father of the faith, walked free on charges of attempted murder for the attempted sacrifice of his son Isaac.

Mayor Goodman, Abraham's defense attorney, successfully argued that Abraham was innocent because God had ordered him to commit the sacrifice and because God stopped him from completing it.

The mayor, who is not related to Rabbi Goodman, would not give away any of his defense tactics prior to David's trial, citing "attorney-client privilege."

Goodman did say he expects his client to walk.

"David is going to get the most vigorous defense he ever got," the mayor said.

The mock trial begins at 9 a.m. Sunday at Temple Beth Sholom, 10700 Havenwood Lane in Summerlin, with a study of the text.

Contact Carol Jeffries in the Temple office at 804-1333, extension 104.