The trial of a prosecutor has started in front of the Kiel district court. The lawyer is said to have seized confiscated animals, without the owners before the possibility of opposition granted. She is accused of right-winging and theft.
The 44-year-old rejected the allegations. She had made mistakes, but made no right of way. According to NDR, she said she did not realize that she needed to inform the owners. In addition, she was told by her superiors to consider a distress sale - also because the housing of the animals was expensive. In the course of time she had been overwhelmed with the many procedures.
Overall, the lawyer should have violated several lawsuits between 2011 and 2014 against laws. In nine cases, it is said to have violated procedural rules in cases of emergency sales of confiscated animals. According to the indictment, animal owners were charged with crimes under the Animal Welfare Act (read more about the case here).
In another case, the lawyer is said to have arbitrarily sold poorly kept animals of a farmer without formal distress sale. This justifies the accusation of right-wing violation in coincidence with theft.
"The defendant wanted to use her position as a prosecutor to enforce the animal protection law with vigor," said prosecutor Joachim Reinhold at the reading of the indictment. "However, she deliberately and gravely departed from the law."
At the beginning of the trial, affected pet owners had also appeared. However, they had to leave the courtroom before reading the indictment because they are considered witnesses in the trial. The 7th Grand Criminal Court has scheduled 36 trial days for the trial. A ruling could be made by the end of March 2020.