Mafia trial in Düsseldorf: Alderman falls asleep several times

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Judicial officer before the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court: A lay judge was too tired

Photo: Wolfram Kastl / dpa

A lay judge has been excluded from the mafia trial of the Duisburg regional court because he fell asleep several times during the sessions.

Court spokesman Henning Bierhaus said that several defense lawyers' requests for bias, which the public prosecutor also joined, were granted on Friday.

The lay judge, i.e. an honorary judge, last slept temporarily on December 20 of last year when taking evidence and at other hearing.

The spokesman said that this could disrupt the defendants' confidence in conducting an unbiased negotiation.

First of all, the »Bild« reported.

Long sessions

The Mafia trial of the Duisburg Regional Court, which takes place in the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court, is a large-scale procedure.

It has been running since October 2020 and is initially scheduled to run until the end of 2022.

The trial is aimed against 14 defendants, who are accused of trafficking in more than 600 kilograms of heroin, among other things.

44 lawyers defend the accused.

The 75th hearing is coming up soon.

The meetings take place twice a week and are usually long, the spokesman said.

What exactly made the lay judges so tired is unclear.

He also did not comment on his replacement by one of the substitute lay judges appointed as a precaution.

ptz / dpa