- Fatal shooting of 14-year-old - sentencing
In a schoolyard in Lower Franconia, a shot rings out, a 14-year-old dies, shot by a 15-year-old classmate. From the prosecutor's perspective, the youth must be locked away for several years for this act, convicted of murder. On this Monday (10:00 AM), the Large Juvenile Chamber of the Wuerzburg Regional Court will announce its verdict.
The German defendant admitted to firing the fatal shot in court. However, he claimed he did not do so intentionally. In his final words, the 15-year-old apologized to the bereaved and expressed his profound regret.
However, the prosecution maintains that the act from last September on the grounds of a school in Lohr am Main, northwest of Wuerzburg, should be considered murder. They also see the aggravating factor of treachery as proven, as the shot was fired from behind. Their demand: eight years and nine months of juvenile detention. The maximum sentence would be ten years. Additionally, the prosecutor requested that the defendant be subject to preventive detention and be placed in a social-therapeutic facility.
Defense argues for manslaughter
The defendant's lawyer disagreed. He argued that a conviction for murder was not appropriate, as no aggravating factors were present. Specifically, the factor of treachery could be ruled out based on reconstructions and the circumstances of the crime, according to the defense attorney in the closed trial. He requested a six-year juvenile sentence for manslaughter. The defense saw no grounds for preventive detention.
The parents of the deceased Italian boy are co-plaintiffs in the proceedings. They largely sided with the prosecution in their plea.
The defense lawyer advocated for a six-year juvenile sentence for manslaughter at the Court of First Instance, arguing that no aggravating factors were present in the case. The co-plaintiffs, parents of the deceased boy, mostly supported the prosecution's plea at the same Court of First Instance.
