Gil Oferim's Problematic Chain: Expert Testifies in Leipzig
Leipzig - Is Gil Oferim's reputation on the line with this professor?
Meet Prof. Dirk Labudde (57), a renowned digital forensics specialist hailing from the University of Applied Sciences Mittweida (Saxony). In the defamation trial against Oferim, dubbed as the Star of David scandal, Labudde took the stand to shed light on the controversy surrounding a video Oferim shared on Instagram.
According to the charges, Oferim falsely accused a hotel employee of anti-Semitism, allegedly requesting him to hide his Star of David necklace. The employee's side of the story remains unheard as of now.
Kicking off his statement, Labudde made a crucial announcement: "I'm sorry, but I won't be able to identify a Star of David in high resolution."
Labudde then dissected the footage, breaking it down into individual images and using digital enhancement techniques, even employing the power of artificial intelligence, known as "super resolution." He explained, "We alter the image properties to make it more visible."
The expected movement of the chain, identical to the Star of David, was absent from the footage, as Labudde put it: "A chain resembling this size and shape isn't registered."
On the trial's fifth day, the professor's verdict unraveled: "The chain was not visible outside the hotel, after entering the lobby, at the counter/desk, and when leaving until 7:46 pm."
It emerged visibly for the first time at 7:46 PM and 4 seconds. A traceable movement of Oferim's left hand towards his neck ensued, followed by "unusual, glowing, consecutive pixel areas." Labudde explained, "It was a flash."
When queried by the joint plaintiff's representative, if Oferim could have removed the star at another time, the expert conceded: "No, we couldn't find any other instances."
Critics from Oferim's defense team rose up, suggesting the "shining object" could have been his signet ring or watch. Labudde quickly dispelled this by personally measuring both items in the courtroom. The results? A discernible difference in size.
Before the fifth day of the trial, Oferim's former manager and a TV producer already took the stand as witnesses. The latter, speaking about Oferim's Star of David, claimed he consistently wore it during the production of MDR, before the current scandal.
The producer confirmed receiving the information about the incident from Oferim's manager. "There was no mention of anti-Semitism by the manager. He only told me that afterwards, as he was already outside by then," the producer stated.
Oferim's manager on the witness stand: "Gil informed me that he wanted to go live. I advised against it and warned him against exaggerating and to stick to the truth."
In conclusion, digital forensics expert Prof. Dirk Labudde reported that he could not identify a Star of David in high resolution, contradicting the original claims against Oferim. Despite the defamation trial's ongoing nature, recent developments have resulted in speculation and controversy, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation to establish the truth.
