- 16-year-old convicted - defense filed a motion to review
After the verdict against a 16-year-old for murder and attempted arson at a school in Offenburg, the defense has reportedly filed an appeal. The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) in Karlsruhe is responsible for appeals against decisions of the juvenile chamber, a spokesperson for the local regional court in Offenburg confirmed upon request. During this process, it is checked whether the law has been correctly applied and interpreted. The appeal has not yet been substantiated, according to the spokesperson.
Last Tuesday, approximately eight months after the fatal shots were fired at the school, the regional court sentenced the perpetrator to eight years and nine months of juvenile detention in a closed session.
The defendant had entered the school with a pistol in November of last year and shot a 15-year-old in the classroom. The killing of the student at the special education Waldbach school also caused grief and horror beyond Baden-Württemberg.
The Berlin law firm Dornkamp had already announced immediately after the verdict that the defense team would review the court decision for errors and possible grounds for appeal. Initially, there was no statement from the firm regarding the appeal.
The court spokesperson emphasized that the verdict must first be entered into the records and then served to the parties involved. Then, the appeal must be substantiated.
The Offenburg public prosecutor's office also charged the parents of the alleged shooter. They are accused of negligent homicide and violations of the firearms law. According to a statement from mid-July, the pistol used by the alleged shooter was in the unauthorized possession of the parents and was not adequately secured, allowing the alleged shooter to access it - this is the accusation of the prosecution authority. The Large Criminal Chamber of the regional court still has to decide whether to open a main proceeding.
The defense team, following the verdict in Offenburg, has decided to file an appeal at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe. Despite the verdict, the Berlin law firm Dornkamp is still reviewing the court decision for potential errors and grounds for appeal.
