Neighborhood dispute - Dispute settled with chainsaw: Jens Lehmann sentenced
"With a chainsaw in their hands, heroes become legends," says public prosecutor Stefan Kreutzer - or they end up in court. Shortly afterwards, Jens Lehmann, the hero of the 2006 World Cup, is sentenced to a fine of 420,000 euros. The Starnberg district court considers it proven that the 54-year-old sawed the roof beam in his neighbor's garage with a chainsaw last July.
One of the most bizarre trials of the year comes to an end on Friday. Judge Tanja Walter imposes a fine of 210 daily rates of 2,000 euros each on Lehmann for damage to property, insult and attempted fraud.
Lehmann had "consistently staged himself as a victim of the justice system", said the judge. However, he was "not a victim, he is a perpetrator" and had presented "outrageous stories" in his defense in court.
In the trial against him, Lehmann repeatedly referred to gaps in his memory and spoke of character assassination and false accusations. "The only person who has behaved in a way that damages his own reputation is the defendant himself," said Judge Walter.
When she asked Lehmann about his personal and financial circumstances and also his marital status, he responded with the counter-question: "Are you married?"
Prosecutor Kreutzer attested that the former national team player, who now describes his profession as "unemployed soccer coach", had a high level of "criminal energy" and a tendency towards "vigilante justice". "Reaching for a chainsaw yourself is simply not an option," he says - and repeatedly addresses Lehmann directly, accusing him of "a certain hostility towards the law".
"The defendant is committing crimes across the board," said the prosecutor. Lehmann had "simply wanted to get one over on his neighbor". He even demanded a suspended prison sentence of ten months - and a fine of 216,000 euros.
There is "no doubt" that the allegations against the former top athlete are true, emphasized public prosecutor Kreutzer - and that is how the court sees it.
Judge Walter also has no doubt that Lehmann did not want to pay the parking fees in a parking garage at the airport and therefore pretended to have something to do in the parking garage - and then drove bumper to bumper behind another car under the barrier.
"That is highly conspicuous behavior," said Kreutzer in his plea. "And that for a few hundred euros - given your financial circumstances." He spoke of "superfluous, selfish acts".
Lehmann's lawyer Christoph Rücker, on the other hand, said in his plea: "The public prosecutor's office is shooting sparrows with cannons." He accused the public prosecutor of revenge and inadmissible "moralizing". Lehmann was suffering from a celebrity malus, the charges were "peanuts".
"This courtroom is not a moral authority that has to educate a former national player." He demanded acquittal of the charges of damage to property and attempted fraud - and a fine of 50 daily rates of less than 500 euros each for insulting police officers.
Rücker rejected the accusation that he had deliberately cheated. But his client is sometimes quick-tempered: "He gets agitated quickly, he gets angry quickly, he gets grumpy quickly." His behavior must be classified against this background. Judge Walter advises Lehmann in her reasoning to "get a grip on this easy excitability".
The aim of preventing a suspended sentence had been achieved, Rücker said after the verdict. He left open whether an appeal against the verdict would be lodged. He would have to discuss this with his client.
Lehmann, who had repeatedly spoken very eloquently during the trial and also addressed members of the press directly, had already left the courthouse quickly and without a word - the judge's closing words on the verdict ringing in his ears: "It's not a Christmas present, but it's below the prosecution's request."
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- The public prosecutor's office in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany, pursued charges against Jens Lehmann, the former German national soccer team goalkeeper, for a neighborhood dispute.
- Despite Jens Lehmann's claims of being a victim of the justice system, the local court considered him a perpetrator, imposing a hefty fine for damage to property, insults, and attempted fraud.
- Prosecutor Stefan Kreutzer accused Lehmann of having a high level of "criminal energy" and a tendency towards "vigilante justice," which led him to saw a roof beam in his neighbor's garage with a chainsaw.
- In addition to the fine, Lehmann was also sentenced for attempting to defraud the parking system at the airport by pretending to be working in a parking garage.
- The verdict in Lehmann's case has contributed to a significant bizarre trial this year, highlighting the increasing impact of celebrity malus on criminal proceedings in Germany.
- The public prosecutor's office in Starnberg has faced criticism for allegedly shooting "sparrows with cannons," as Lehmann's lawyer, Christoph Rücker, argued in his defense.
- With the verdict, German justice once again demonstrated its impartiality in handling high-profile cases, providing further evidence that even prominent individuals like Jens Lehmann are not exempt from criminal consequences.
Source: www.stern.de
