In the police murder trial, the accused denies allegations

Created: 06/28/2022Updated: 06/28/2022, 16:46

Flowers and candles are at the crime scene.

© Sebastian Gollnow/dpa/archive image

In the police murder trial in Kaiserslautern, the main defendant contradicts the allegations in a long statement.

Witnesses tell of shots fired on the night of the crime.

"That was boom boom."

Kaiserslautern - In the murder trial of two police officers who were shot near Kusel (Palatinate) at the end of January, the main defendant rejected the allegations in his first personal statement.

In front of the Kaiserslautern district court on Tuesday, the 39-year-old said that he had fired three shots at a police officer during a night-time vehicle check - but he had fired first.

"It flashed in front of me, it hit the vehicle.

I couldn't grasp the situation at all," the man said in his two-hour statement, occasionally interrupted by sobs.

The statement had not been announced and came unexpectedly in the middle of the witness hearing on the third day of the trial.

The main defendant said he decided to do so because the process was fair.

While he described a kind of self-defense situation for himself, he blamed the co-defendant - his accomplice on the night of the crime - for the policewoman's death at the traffic stop.

The 33-year-old shot the woman.

Judge Raphael Mall said after the admission: "I have to let that sink in for a moment."

The main defendant had his lawyer read out a similar statement at the beginning of the trial.

The 33-year-old's defense attorney had rejected the allegation against his client.

Prosecutors accuse the main defendant of murdering a 24-year-old police officer and a 29-year-old police commissioner five months ago to cover up poaching.

The investigators assume a firefight between the police commissioner and the main suspect.

The policeman is said to have emptied the magazine of his service pistol – without hitting the attacker.

The act of violence caused nationwide horror.

The prosecution accuses the accomplice of attempted frustration.

He is said to have helped cover up the tracks, but not shot.

The next day of the trial is scheduled for Thursday (9:00 a.m.).

On Tuesday, witnesses described a dramatic exchange of fire on the night of the crime.

"It was boom boom," said a 47-year-old local resident.

Shots from rifles and pistols were clearly heard.

Another witness heard someone yell "stop" and also numerous shots.

"It was a series of shots.

Almost like a battery of fireworks," said the 47-year-old man, banging loudly four times in the courtroom with his clenched right hand on the table.

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Several witnesses reported a distinct, hard final bang - "like a final muzzle shot in animals," said a 65-year-old witness.

Sound recordings from a surveillance camera not far from the crime scene were also played.

The shots could be heard clearly.

So far, the district court has scheduled appointments up to September 9th - however, the court is already examining further appointments up to October 19th.

According to the magazine "Stern", the main defendant is said to have announced several times in the past that he would shoot if he was caught poaching.

This emerges from investigation files, the newspaper reported.

For example, a longtime hunter friend of the 39-year-old testified that he had said that he always had a shotgun with him – and would use it to shoot his way free if he was checked while poaching.

Other people are said to have reported similar statements to the police.

dpa