Boateng's declarations concerning his former romantic companion are considered acceptable in court.
In an interview, Jerome Boateng made derogatory comments about his former partner Kasia Lenhardt. Tragically, she passed away soon after. Her mother attempted to bar Boateng from making such statements again through legal means, but the Berlin Court of Appeals upheld his right to speak in a second trial.
The decision was unequivocal - in favor of footballer Jerome Boateng. Five criticisms leveled at Lenhardt in the interview were deemed lawful, as per the Berlin Court of Appeals' ruling in the second instance.
Lenhardt passed away in 2021. Her mother aiming for a legal victory sought to enforce a cease-and-desist order against Boateng for his initial statements. However, this request was denied by the court. Consequently, Lenhardt's mother's cease-and-desist lawsuit failed in the second trial. Only one statement was actually prohibited for Boateng by the Berlin Regional Court in November 2022. This situation remains unchanged. A renewed challenge against the current verdict was disallowed.
Judge Oliver Elzer stated that even in her daughter's demise, Lenhardt's mother continued her pursuit of her daughter's "right to respect." Despite Boateng's comments being offensive, they weren't "extreme or so offensive" to warrant a ban, Elzer added, implying that Lenhardt's mother's justification was unfounded.
Lenhardt's mother argued that Boateng's statements distorted her daughter's image. "It's about preventing untruthful statements about her deceased daughter," explained her legal representative Markus Hennig during the court session a few weeks prior.
Boateng's representative Thomas Knipp stated that they welcomed the decision as it finally ended the legal dispute's uncertainty. Boateng acknowledged the interview was a mistake he deeply regrets and apologizes for. Boateng's lawyer Stephanie Vendt had earlier clarified in court that the footballer did not plan to repeat the statements.
Settlement Proposal
In the interview, Boateng, among other things, discussed disagreements in his relationship with Lenhardt, who reached the finals of ProSieben's "Germany's Next Topmodel" in 2021. The interview was published shortly after their separation. In February 2021, Lenhardt's family announced her passing through a lawyer. Berlin police confirmed an incident involving a lifeless individual with no apparent external injuries.
Elzer emphasized during the trial that it wasn't about guilt or innocence or the events, but whether one could publicly express oneself about others, especially when the affected individual died shortly after the statements.
The court proposed a compromise. Boateng would have had to issue a cease-and-desist order, and Lenhardt's mother would have covered the current proceedings' costs. However, this agreement did not come to fruition.
Recently, a criminal trial involving Boateng made headlines. The Munich Regional Court reprimanded him for intentional bodily harm and imposed a fine of 40 daily rates of 5,000 euros, conditional on his compliance. In essence, Boateng must pay 200,000 euros if he violates his conditions. The Munich Public Prosecutor's Office disagrees with the verdict and has filed an appeal.
Jerome Boateng, known for his passion for Soccer, found himself in a legal dispute following derogatory comments about his former partner Kasia Lenhardt in an interview. Despite some of his statements being considered offensive, the Berlin Court of Appeals upheld his right to speak, deeming them not extreme enough to warrant a ban.
