After the death of a six-year-old, a trial against a teenager for manslaughter begins this Tuesday morning before the German regional court in Neubrandenburg. The defendant faces a prison sentence of up to ten years. Because he is a teenager, the trial will take place behind closed doors.
The public prosecutor’s office accuses the 14-year-old at the time of the crime of hitting the victim in the face several times on September 14 last year in the municipality of Pragsdorf near Neubrandenburg. The defendant is then said to have stabbed the child seven times with a knife with a blade about 15 centimeters long. The boy died, which the defendant at least accepted with approval, according to the public prosecutor.
In custody since September 26th
The brutal act is said to have taken place in the bushes at the football field in the small village in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Months later, angel figures, memorabilia and a larger cross still stand where the six-year-old died.
According to the district court, the suspect has been in custody since September 26th. He had become entangled in contradictions and his DNA trace was also found on the murder knife. During the time in custody, the teenager’s family moved away from Pragsdorf, according to police.
Nationwide attention
According to a report, the young person is responsible. “Based on the results of the accused’s forensic psychiatric and developmental psychology assessment, the public prosecutor’s office is convinced of his criminal responsibility,” said a press release from the public prosecutor’s office a few weeks ago. However, she also pointed out that the presumption of innocence applies to the young accused until the legal conclusion of the proceedings.
The case caused a nationwide stir. The question of why the six-year-old had to die had not been answered until the day the trial began. It remains to be seen whether the defendant will respond to the allegations in court.
According to the court, around 40 witnesses and five experts will be interviewed throughout the trial. At the beginning of Tuesday, five witnesses were invited. After the start of the trial, six continuation dates are planned.
