Jens Lehmann makes strange statement in court

He wanted to dismantle his neighbor's garage with a chainsaw because it was blocking his view of Lake Starnberg. That is what the public prosecutor is accusing Jens Lehmann of in court. The ex-footballer, however, has a different version up his sleeve and speaks of false suspicions.

In the trial over an alleged attack on his neighbor's garage with a chainsaw, former national soccer goalkeeper Jens Lehmann sees himself as the victim of false suspicions. He also raised the accusation of defamation of character at the start of the trial at Starnberg district court, to which he appeared in a dark suit and blue tie.

"I just went in to see what he was actually doing there," said the 54-year-old on the first day of the trial about the garage, which was under construction at the time. "Which is worse? Murder or character assassination?" Lehmann also asked in his lengthy statements.

He only had a chainsaw with him because he had previously cut his neighbor's hedge - at the neighbor's request. The accusation of trespassing, which the public prosecutor's office is accusing him of, therefore does not apply, said the 2006 World Cup hero, whose current profession is "unemployed soccer coach". Prosecutor Stefan Kreutzer then asked what kind of hedge it was and added: "I've never seen a person trimming a hedge with a chainsaw."

Filmed by surveillance camera

In its indictment, the public prosecutor's office accuses Lehmann of, among other things, sawing up a roof beam in his neighbor's garage with a chainsaw last summer. According to the prosecution, the alleged crime was preceded by a long-standing dispute between neighbors - also because Lehmann's garage blocked the view of Lake Starnberg from his property.

A surveillance camera filmed Lehmann with a chainsaw in his hand. The public prosecutor asked Lehmann why he had used the chainsaw on the wooden beam. His answer: "I don't remember."

Lehmann's lawyer Christoph Rückel read out a defence statement before his client's testimony, in which he emphasized above all that the neighbourhood dispute and civil disputes had been settled: "It was an action in which frustration played a major role on both sides, but the escalation has ended."

Insult and fraud are also involved

Lehmann is also charged in the proceedings with insulting police officers and fraud because he did not want to pay the fees in a parking garage. He referred to misunderstandings. He had waited for an invoice that had not arrived. And he had not called the policewoman who wanted to take his driver's license a liar - but said she had lied.

Lehmann repeatedly made accusations against the public prosecutor's office and spoke of "double standards". If he wanted to press charges against someone, the case would always be dropped, but charges against him would never be dropped. Public prosecutor Kreutzer rejected the accusations and, addressing the former national team player, said "that you, Mr. Lehmann, are a person who does not abide by the law at the lower end of criminal liability, but wants to disregard it".

In 2006, Lehmann had become the celebrated goalkeeper of the home World Cup, the "summer fairytale" - above all due to his brilliant performance in the penalty shoot-out against Argentina in the quarter-finals. During his active career, he played for FC Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund and FC Arsenal in London, among others.

The local court has set two trial dates for the case against Lehmann. The verdict could come shortly before Christmas, on December 22. Jens Lehmann is presumed innocent until the conclusion of the proceedings.

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During the trial, Jens Lehmann's entertainment-filled courtroom appearance included a reference to his love for soccer, stating, "Which is worse: Murder or character assassination? I've played soccer for years, and character is everything on the field." Furthermore, Lehmann mentioned his former teammate Thomas Linke, who was also a goalkeeper, saying, "I visited Linke during the trial break, we talked about Processes and how they sometimes don't make sense, especially in the entertainment business."

Source: www.ntv.de