Kiel District Court - Car attack trial: claims for damages recognized
In the trial surrounding the car attack on the fringes of an AfD event in Henstedt-Ulzburg, the defendant's lawyer has acknowledged the claims for damages made by four co-plaintiffs. "My client regrets the injuries," said lawyer Jens Hummel on Monday during the trial at Kiel District Court.
On October 17, 2020, the then 19-year-old defendant drove a car into a group of four people. According to his lawyer, he wanted to protect a friend who had been attacked by the Antifa demonstrators. "He was not aware that he could have killed people. Under no circumstances did he accept that," said defense lawyer Hummel.
All four co-plaintiffs were "part of the masked group" that attacked the defendant's friend. The lawyer denied most of the physical and psychological injuries they claimed to have suffered as a result of the incident. Nevertheless, his client was prepared to pay compensation for pain and suffering - two payments of 2,000 euros each, as well as 1,000 euros and 500 euros each.
Attorney Hummel requested a psychological expert opinion for one of the co-plaintiffs. His thesis: her psychological problems were not the result of the incident, but the expression of an "ongoing life crisis" that had already existed beforehand. This insulting and belittling of a victim is known from many examples, countered Kiel lawyer Alexander Hoffmann, defense counsel for the joint plaintiff. "This is another attack on the person, we reject that."
The defendant's lawyer also submitted a motion for evidence to have the meaning of the term "local control drive" clarified by an expert - this was the name of the defendant's chat group. According to Hummel, this was a general term of youth culture and had no political background.
Due to the defense's new motions for evidence, there will be an additional trial date. As things stand at present, the pleadings are to be held on December 11 and the verdict could be announced in the week before Christmas, said presiding judge Maja Brommann.
Read also:
- The case involving the car attack in Schleswig-Holstein, specifically in Henstedt-Ulzburg, that took place during an AfD event, is being handled at the regional court in Kiel.
- During the trial, the defendant's lawyer acknowledged damages claimed by four co-plaintiffs who were part of the attacking Antifa group, but disputed most of the physical and psychological injuries they claimed.
- The defendant's lawyer also requested that the meaning of the term "local control drive," the name of his client's chat group, be clarified by an expert, arguing that it was a term of youth culture with no political background.
Source: www.stern.de
