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Courtroom murderer receives life term
Source: Agencies |
November 12, 2009, Thursday
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A RUSSIAN-BORN German man was found guilty yesterday of murder and sentenced to life in prison for fatally stabbing a pregnant Egyptian woman in a Dresden courtroom, an attack that triggered outrage in the Muslim world.
The Dresden State Court said in its ruling that because of the brutal nature of the crime, defendant Alexander Wiens, 28, would not be eligible for early release.
During the trial, Wiens admitted to stabbing Marwa al-Sherbini to death at a July 1 court hearing.
Wiens had argued, however, that his actions were not premeditated and that he had no xenophobic motivation. His attorneys had sought a lesser manslaughter conviction.
Al-Sherbini, 31, a pharmacist, was stabbed at least 16 times by Wiens in the Dresden courtroom where she was to testify against him.
She had filed a complaint against him in 2008, accusing him of insulting her with racial slurs, calling her a "terrorist" and "Islamist" during an altercation.
Many German courts, including the one where the killing took place, have no security checks at entrances.
Prosecutors said the defendant used a kitchen knife with an 18-centimeter blade that he had brought into the courtroom in a backpack.
Her husband, a scientist conducting research in Dresden, was stabbed and suffered serious injuries when he tried to protect her. The couple's son, 3, was in the courtroom and saw the attack.
Wiens was also convicted of attempted murder for his attack on al-Sherbini's husband, Elwy Okaz.
In his closing arguments on Monday, prosecutor Frank Heinrich said there was no doubt of Wiens' reasons.
"It's clear that his motive was hatred for Muslims," Heinrich told judges.
The Dresden State Court said in its ruling that because of the brutal nature of the crime, defendant Alexander Wiens, 28, would not be eligible for early release.
During the trial, Wiens admitted to stabbing Marwa al-Sherbini to death at a July 1 court hearing.
Wiens had argued, however, that his actions were not premeditated and that he had no xenophobic motivation. His attorneys had sought a lesser manslaughter conviction.
Al-Sherbini, 31, a pharmacist, was stabbed at least 16 times by Wiens in the Dresden courtroom where she was to testify against him.
She had filed a complaint against him in 2008, accusing him of insulting her with racial slurs, calling her a "terrorist" and "Islamist" during an altercation.
Many German courts, including the one where the killing took place, have no security checks at entrances.
Prosecutors said the defendant used a kitchen knife with an 18-centimeter blade that he had brought into the courtroom in a backpack.
Her husband, a scientist conducting research in Dresden, was stabbed and suffered serious injuries when he tried to protect her. The couple's son, 3, was in the courtroom and saw the attack.
Wiens was also convicted of attempted murder for his attack on al-Sherbini's husband, Elwy Okaz.
In his closing arguments on Monday, prosecutor Frank Heinrich said there was no doubt of Wiens' reasons.
"It's clear that his motive was hatred for Muslims," Heinrich told judges.
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