lengthy imprisonment for the murder of a 14-year-old girl in Hesse.
Not long before turning 21 years old, a guy was charged with killing a 14-year-old girl in North Hesse. The case raised questions about whether the juvenile or adult court system should be used, and if this action indeed constituted murder. In spite of those debates, the court decided and sentenced the young man to multiple years in prison.
The trial concluded with the 21-year-old being sentenced to 11 years and 9 months in prison for murdering the young girl. He was convicted in Kassel's Regional Court of having strangled the girl in September 2023 driven by his sexual urges. The lead judge shared, "The sentence is to be served in a social therapeutic institution." The court also declared a preventive detention order. It was likely, per the reasoning, that the suspect could commit serious crimes in the future.
The body of the 14-year-old was discovered near a footpath in Bad Emstal (part of Cassel district) on September 28 of the prior year, after having gone missing overnight. The court held the 21-year-old responsible for strangling the schoolgirl in order to satisfy his sexual desires. Furthermore, it came to light that he had disturbed the deceased's peace by touching her body with a sexual intent and recording them.
The case fell under the jurisdiction of a juvenile chamber in Kassel's Regional Court since the defendant was 20 years and 11 months old when the incident took place, making him a minor. This chamber was tasked with determining whether the defendant should be tried using juvenile or adult criminal law.
While the public prosecutor's office and the victim's legal representative requested a life sentence coupled with preventive detention and conviction under adult law, the defendant's legal counsel cited juvenile criminal law. His lawyer insists the sexual motivation behind the act was not fulfilled and suggested a conviction for manslaughter. He deemed a prison term less than ten years suitable.
Psychiatrist declared the man criminally responsible
However, the court disregarded these arguments. It considered the satisfaction of sexual desires along with the disturbed peace resulting from the victim's image recordings was achieved. The court opted to apply adult criminal law. Although the accused was close to turning 21 when committing the crime, the court highlighted his independent lifestyle. Before the trial commenced, a psychiatrist declared him fully responsible.
Early in the trial, the defendant confessed to choking the 14-year-old into unconsciousness following an argument. Thereafter, he stripped her and recorded and filmed her to avoid her from notifying the police. He said, "I didn't want to kill her." The defendant extended his apologies to the dead girl's family at the trial on Wednesday, saying, "I'd like to apologize to the family for something that took place on September 27, but I can't say any more than that." The possibility of appealing the verdict is available.
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The international community expressed concern over the severe sentencing, as the defendant was tried as an adult despite being close to turning 21 at the time of the crime. The Hesse Regional Court's judgment was controversial, as it used adult criminal law, disregarding arguments for juvenile criminal law. The young man was convicted of murder and manslaughter and sentenced to multiple years in prison, with a psychiatric evaluation suggesting his full responsibility.
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