Trial in Koblenz: 20-year-old charged with attempted murder following brawl in Betzdorf
A trial began at Koblenz Regional Court against two juveniles who allegedly seriously injured a man in Betzdorf in January.
Koblenz Regional Court: Attempted murder charges following attack in Betzdorf
A trial has begun at Koblenz Regional Court against two juveniles who were 15 and 19 years old at the time of the alleged offence. According to reports, the two defendants allegedly seriously injured a man in Betzdorf during an argument on 3 January.
According to the indictment, the two were initially at a party in Cologne on the evening of the alleged crime, where they consumed drugs and drank alcohol in part. They then travelled by train back to Betzdorf, where they encountered the later victim and began to argue. What started as insults escalated into physical violence.
The now 20-year-old is alleged to have deliberately struck the victim multiple times in the head. According to the prosecutor's office, the victim's head struck the asphalt, and the victim lost consciousness. The 15-year-old is said to have attempted to stop the older perpetrator after realising the danger of the situation. He pushed the then 19-year-old away from the victim and called out: "Stop, stop! He's going to die!"
Nevertheless, the then 19-year-old is alleged to have continued to strike the victim before the 15-year-old finally managed to push him away. Both fled, leaving the seriously injured victim behind. Witnesses rushed to help; one noticed that blood was collecting in the victim's mouth, placed him in the recovery position and presumably prevented further harm.
The victim was taken to hospital with severe injuries and had to undergo facial surgery. The 20-year-old is accused of attempting to kill the man from base motives. Both defendants are also charged with joint aggravated assault. The 20-year-old must also answer for other offences, including theft, property damage and drug trafficking.
In early March, the then 19-year-old was arrested and has been in pre-trial detention since then. According to their defence attorneys, both defendants intend to make statements about the alleged offence at a later stage in the proceedings.
Following the incident, rumours circulated in Betzdorf and the surrounding area that the perpetrators were of Arab origin. Koblenz prosecutor's office clearly contradicted this: at no point during the investigation was there any indication of perpetrators of Arab descent or juveniles with an Arab migration background. The two suspects are German nationals who were born in Germany.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)