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The accused father of the Hanau attacker lay down on the floor in the courtroom, his lawyer standing next to him. © Thorsten Becker
Strange scenes at the Hanau District Court. The assassin’s father is carried into the courtroom. He must answer for charges including incitement, insult and coercion.
Strange scenes at the Hanau District Court: Because he once again failed to appear for trial, the police forcibly brought the father of the Hanau attacker, who murdered nine people for racist reasons on February 19, 2020, before the court. Four officers carried the 77-year-old into the courtroom and sat him on a chair in the dock. But the pensioner preferred to lie on the floor.
The man must answer for suspicion of incitement, insult, coercion, false accusation and violations of the Violence Protection Act. The defendant had already ignored the summons two weeks ago.
Johannes Hock is an experienced lawyer. But he has probably never had such an assignment as a public defender. And he has probably never had a client like the 77-year-old father of the attacker on February 19, 2020. The first day of the trial two weeks ago was canceled because the defendant did not show up and left his lawyer sitting.
This Thursday, the court and the audience were presented with a different perspective for hours: the 77-year-old, who can at least be described as a troublemaker, was lying behind the dock and this time left his public defender standing. He refused any contact.
“The criminal judge, district director Clementine Englert, even asked the pensioner several times whether he was thirsty – no reaction. Whether he wanted to say something about the allegations – no reaction.
Because in the morning, at 9:30 a.m. sharp, all the lawyers are present. Only the 77-year-old is not. The criminal judge had suspected this and had taken precautions. She looked at her smartphone. “The police are on their way and will inform me.” She is certain: “The gentleman will come, even if not voluntarily.”
She was right, because Chief Inspector Andreas G. and four of his colleagues opened the apartment after ringing and calling the defendant’s house in vain. “It’s like three years ago. We found him in bed, he was fully clothed,” said the police officer, reporting that the arrested man had reported heart problems. So an ambulance and emergency doctor were ordered to the western part of the city, but they left again because the man refused treatment.
Finally, four officers carry the man into the courtroom. He tries to defend himself and resists being brought before the court – but the martial-looking arrest squad gives him no chance. The defendant gasps for air, lies down and calls for his family doctor.
A doctor is already present in the person of Hildegard Müller, a recognized psychiatric expert. But she too is rejected by the man on the ground. “Is he fit to stand trial?” the judge wants to know. The expert is clear: “I think this is a staged event.”
Attorney Hock files a motion for a break until the client’s fitness to stand trial has been determined – the court rejects the motion. Because he is obviously fed up with the 77-year-old refusing to talk to him – “how am I supposed to defend him?” – he files a motion for release from his duties – the court rejects the motion.
And so the lawyers then concentrate on the accusations of public prosecutor Martin Links, who names nine charges: incitement, insulting Mayor Claus Kaminsky, false accusation, coercion and several violations of the restraining order – he is not allowed to approach a house in which relatives of a murder victim live closer than 30 meters.
During a break, lawyer Hock has success. He talks to his client. “I made it clear to him that his blockade attitude is not achieving anything. I hope we can do it.” This would be necessary in view of the previous convictions, because the pensioner has already been legally sentenced to fines totaling 9,000 euros.
The defense attorney files the application for release
The accused father of the Hanau attacker lay down on the floor of the courtroom, his lawyer standing next to him. thorsten becker © Thorsten Becker
