Crime - Trial against Jens Lehmann continues - verdict expected
A verdict is expected today in the trial against former national soccer goalkeeper Jens Lehmann at the Starnberg district court. At the center of the accusations against the 54-year-old is a bizarre neighbor dispute. The public prosecutor's office accuses him of entering his neighbor's newly built garage with a chainsaw and sawing a roof beam.
On the first day of the trial, Lehmann admitted that he had entered the garage with the chainsaw in his hand, but denied sawing the roof beam. A surveillance camera, footage of which was shown in the courtroom, had recorded Lehmann with the chainsaw.
Another accusation
A verdict could be reached in the case today. It is the last day of the trial. Before that happens, however, there will be another charge to deal with: Lehmann is alleged to have driven out of a parking garage at the airport without paying the parking fee - bumper to bumper with a car in front.
He is therefore accused of attempted fraud. In his statement to the court, the 54-year-old spoke of a misunderstanding and stated that he had not intended not to pay.
Lehmann feels misunderstood
The former goalkeeper and hero of the 2006 World Cup, who triumphed over the Argentinean shooters in the quarter-finals with the help of his famous penalty cheat sheet, has been charged with trespassing and damage to property as a result of the chainsaw episode. He is also accused of insulting a police officer who tried to take his driver's license.
According to the court, witnesses have been summoned to the parking garage complex this morning. The pleas in the case could then be made in the early afternoon before a verdict is announced.
On the first day of the trial, the public prosecutor had said "that you, Mr. Lehmann, are a person who does not adhere to the law at the lower end of criminal liability, but wants to disregard it". Lehmann, on the other hand, feels misunderstood and sees himself as a victim of false suspicion and character assassination.
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- Regardless of the outcome of the current trial against Jens Lehmann in Starnberg, another legal issue has arisen for the formersoccer goalkeeper.
- The public prosecutor's office in Starnberg is also investigating an incident where Lehmann allegedly drove out of a parking garage at the airport without paying the parking fee, thereby committing an act of attempted fraud.
- Despite the accusations of trespassing, damage to property, and insulting a police officer from the chainsaw incident in Bavaria, Lehmann believes he is a victim of false suspicion and character assassination.
- The verdict in the trial against Jens Lehmann, taking place at the district court of Starnberg, will not only decide the charges related to the garage incident but also the charges related to the airport parking garage incident.
- Lehmann's soccer legacy as a hero from Germany's 2006 World Cup victory is currently being tested in the German courts, with two separate legal proceedings taking place in the region of Bavaria.
Source: www.stern.de
