Rhineland-Palatinate: Defendants in the police murder trial are guilty

According to a psychiatric report, the main defendant in the murder trial of the fatal shots at two police officers near Kusel (Palatinate) is fully responsible.

Rhineland-Palatinate: Defendants in the police murder trial are guilty

According to a psychiatric report, the main defendant in the murder trial of the fatal shots at two police officers near Kusel (Palatinate) is fully responsible.

Although the 39-year-old shows a penchant for overconfidence and a "certain coldness" and "traits that you find in psychopaths," said an expert on Monday in the Kaiserslautern district court. However, there is no evidence of a neurological condition or a classic personality disorder.

The expert spoke out against a possible preventive detention for the 39-year-old, in which offenders remain in custody even after their actual sentence has been served. Expert Michael Rösler told the judge that he saw the act at the end of January as an "individual event" and not as an act of a specific inclination such as a lust for murder. "I can't give you a positive recommendation."

The 39-year-old main defendant is said to have shot a young policewoman and her colleagues during a night traffic check on a remote district road. The prosecution assumes that the man wanted to cover up hunting poaching.

The co-accused is a 33-year-old man. Prosecutors say he was present at the crime but did not shoot. However, he is said to have helped cover the tracks. On Monday, another expert also attested the co-defendant's unrestricted culpability. There are no indications of a disorder, said specialist Ralf Werner. Both experts complained that they could not speak to the accused personally and therefore had to refer to observations made during the trial and to the files in their assessment.

At the beginning of the 19th day of the hearing on Monday, new evidence from the defense led to a fierce battle of words. The lawyers for the main defendant requested, among other things, a further expert opinion. Chief Public Prosecutor Stefan Orthen sharply criticized the applications. He accused the main defendant's defense of wanting to lengthen the proceedings. "It's not a Punch and Judy show here. It's really over with this nonsense now," he said. The defense called the prosecutor's allegation "brazen".

Judge Raphael Mall dismissed the motions after a nearly three-hour deliberation break. The further report is not necessary because the court itself has the necessary expertise, he said.

The case caused outrage across the country. The two men were arrested shortly after the crime in nearby Saarland. The trial before the district court of Kaiserslautern has been running since mid-June. The pleadings are to be spoken on November 22nd. The verdict could be announced on November 30th. Public interest was high again on Monday. Almost all spectator and press seats in the hall were occupied.

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