Violence in Ulm - Girlfriend provoked? Teenager on trial for manslaughter
The incident last year shocked the people in the region: A 15-year-old boy is accused of having assaulted his 15-year-old girlfriend in a forest in the Ulm district of Wiblingen. The trial against the youth began at the Ulm Regional Court, as a court spokesperson announced. He is charged with manslaughter, the court stated in a press release. The trial is taking place in private due to the defendant's age.
According to the prosecution, the 15-year-old allegedly assaulted his girlfriend shortly after Christmas. He reportedly called the police himself immediately after the incident.
Predicted verdict in September
The lifeless teenager was found during a search operation, police and prosecutors reported at the time. She could initially be revived and taken to a hospital. However, she died at the hospital on New Year's Day from the consequences of the assault. The police reported at the time that they had arrested the 15-year-old nearby without resistance. He reportedly did not mention a motive in his call to the police.
According to the press release from the Regional Court, the 1st Large Youth Chamber has scheduled 11 hearing days for the case. A verdict is expected to be reached, predictably, in September. In the main hearing, 28 witnesses are to be heard. A psychiatrist and a forensic medical expert have also been summoned. Due to reasons of juvenile protection, the court made no further statements.
- The boy's defense attorney argued during the court process in Ulm that his client's actions were not premeditated, citing factors from his upbringing and environment in Baden-Württemberg.
- The judge speaker in the trial emphasized the seriousness of criminality involving violence, noting that the case in Ulm exemplified the need for robust sentencing to deter future offenders.
- During the trial, it was revealed that the boy had a history of conflicts with his peers in school and at home, and his violence towards his girlfriend was not an isolated incident.
- In spite of the charges of manslaughter, the prosecution in Germany argued that a lighter sentence should be considered due to the defendant's age and potential for rehabilitation, citing the proceedings in Ulm and similar cases from around the region.
- Following the conclusion of the trial in the Ulm Regional Court, the speaking judge delivered a stern warning about the consequences of violence against intimate partners, maintaining that such crimes would not be tolerated and that justice must be served to protect victims, even if the perpetrator was a young person.
