Verdict expected in trial for shots fired at SEK
The Stuttgart Higher Regional Court is set to announce its verdict today in the trial concerning the shooting of a special task force in Boxberg, Baden. Since April, a 55-year-old man who is associated with the so-called "Reichsbürger" scene has been on trial. The public prosecutor's office has accused him of attempted murder in several cases.
In April last year, the man shot at police officers in the Main-Tauber district in the north of Baden-Württemberg with an automatic rifle when they wanted to search his house for a weapon for which he did not have a permit. In his house, the investigators found a walk-in weapons cache with rifles and submachine guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition and accessories.
During the operation, one of the officers was seriously injured by shots to the legs. In its plea, the federal prosecution accused the German defendant of having "literally hunted down police officers" and demanded a life sentence for attempted murder on four counts.
The man's defense lawyers, on the other hand, had argued that no murder criteria were met and therefore demanded an acquittal for their client. In his closing statement, the defendant had asked for an apology for his behavior. "I am infinitely sorry for what happened," he said. He had acted "in panic and to protect my son".
The defense argued that the man's actions did not meet the criteria for murder, implying a focus on the legal interpretation of his actions. Regardless of the verdict, the trial has brought to light the existence of processes related to extremist groups and the proliferation of illegal weapons, contributing to wider discussions on crime prevention and de-radicalization.
Source: www.dpa.com
