No closing statements today.

No closing statements could be held today as the court once more had to deal with Ralf Wohlleben’s back pains. Wohlleben had been examined in the prison yesterday, today a medical expert was present (once again) to report on his state of health.

Wohlleben’s defense moved that this report be heard in closed session. That motion in itself would not be much to report on – after all, the details of Wohlleben’s back problems are indeed not of particular interest to the broader public. However, under the applicable legal provisions, it the court were to exclude the public for the duration of expert’s report, it would automatically have to do so as well for the (rest of the) closing statements. This rule has been laid down to protect victims of severe crimes from having details of their state of health broadcast to the public in closing statements – nonetheless, from its wording, it would also apply to the case at hand. Continue reading →

Convincing and moving statements by Seda Basay and Abdulkerim Şimşek

The trial day began later and ended already around noon as accused Wohlleben once more complained of back pains and was examined by a doctor in the morning.

Counsel Basay first concluded the closing statement which she had begun yesterday. After a short section on the totally unbelievable statement of Beate Zschäpe, Basay dealt in detal with the question of local NSU supporters in Nuremberg.

The four crime scenes in Nuremberg – those of the murders of Enver Şimşek, Abdurrahim Özüdoğru and Ismail Yaşar and of the bombing attack on the pub “Sonnenschein” (“Sunshine”) – show quite clearly that the prosecution’s thesis that all scenes had been scouted out by Böhnhardt and Mundlos alone is implausible. Continue reading →

Closing statements on the murder of Enver Şimşek begin

The trial day began with the closing statement of counsel Goldbach, who represents victims of the nail bomb attack in the Keupstraße. He began by speaking about his clients, their dashed hopes of fact-finding through the trial. He also stated that his clients, like others, had not allowed the NSU to force them out of Germany, are currently living normal and content lives here.

Goldbach than turned to the accused and showed why he believes that accused Wohlleben and Eminger are guilty of aiding and abetting the Keupstraße attack. Of course, none of this will be provable given the sloppy investigations not only before, but also after 2011.

Continue reading →