Berlin (AP) – Rapper Fler was expected in the large conference hall of the Berlin court. But the musician did not come to announce the verdict. Weeks ago, the 38-year-old left his criminal case cursing. The Berlin-Tiergarten district court found the musician guilty of eleven acts in absentia on Wednesday. Fler, whose real name is Patrick Losensky, received ten months’ probation and a fine of 10,000 euros. The man with the rough image is supposed to pay this to the non-profit organization Gangway for street social work.
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According to the verdict, the Berlin rapper insulted several policemen, a neighbor, a lawyer and influencers, sat behind the wheel without a driver’s license and aided in prohibited reports from legal proceedings. Judge Carsten Schwanitz said that these were all acts in the area of petty crime. More serious was an attempted coercion. Fler put a journalist under pressure to take an unpopular contribution from the network. That was a “no go” and an attack on the freedom of the press, it said in the judgment.
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The judge stated that the police did not behave wrongly. Even brief restraint of Fler at a traffic control was understandable and proportionate. The musician let his anger run free verbally.
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The sentence does not correspond to the demands of the public prosecutor’s office. The prosecution had demanded a year and ten months’ imprisonment without parole because Fler did not have a positive prognosis. The musician was not ready to stick to the rules, the prosecutor had emphasized in her plea. Now she has announced that she will be examining appeals.
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The Fler defender also wants to take a close look at the judgment. It was clearly going in his direction. “The public prosecutor started as a tiger and ended up as a bedside rug.” In Fler’s favor, the court reckoned that he partially admitted acts – even if not always insightful. He had gone through an earlier probationary period.
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When Fler left the courtroom at the end of January, annoyed by a journalist, his lawyer was unable to bring him back. The court decided to continue hearing without the accused. At the beginning of November, Fler came in a burgundy jacket. The broad-shouldered musician with shaved hair shook his head now and then, but he remained calm and mute. Later he said to the questioning of witnesses: “They all lie blatantly.” On another day of the trial, he said: “For me it is artistic freedom that I behave like a rapper does.” His defense lawyer said: “He’s also a fictional character, that’s his role.”
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Several charges were brought together at the trial. Some were severed. The accused insulting the Berlin rapper Bushido is now to be discussed in a separate proceeding. On the Internet, Fler is said to have referred to Bushido as a “bastard” and “disgusting dog”.
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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210303-99-670138 / 2
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