Defense motions rejected – defence announces challenge for alleged bias.

Today the court rejected all defense motion of last trial week. This includes the motion by Zschäpe defense counsel Heer, Stahl and Sturm to be relieved as assigned counsel, as well as the motion for evidence brought by the Wohlleben defense. In rejecting the latter, the court did not mince its words, finding that it had been brought “without any factual or argumentative basis” and aimed only at delaying the trial. The court also rejected another motion by the Wohlleben defense, announced last week and brought today, to incorporate certain files of the parliamentary inquiry commission in Baden-Württemberg into the case file.

The Wohlleben defense reacted by announcing a challenge against all judges for alleged bias and were given until 11:30 AM tomorrow to formulate that challenge. Accordingly, Zschäpe defense counsel Grasel and Borchert will not begin their closing statements tomorrow, the court will instead interrupt the trial until next week in order to decide on the challenge.