In the case of the killed six-year-old Joel, the Neubrandenburg public prosecutor’s office has lodged a complaint against the release of the accused teenager from custody. This was announced by the public prosecutor’s office. The teenager is charged with manslaughter. The trial before the Neubrandenburg regional court began on Tuesday – behind closed doors because the defendant is a teenager.
As soon as the complaint is received by the court, it must decide within three days whether the complaint is justified, as a spokeswoman for the Neubrandenburg regional court said. If the complaint is not justified from the perspective of the regional court, the case goes to the Rostock Higher Regional Court, which then decides.
Court: No more grounds for detention
On the second day of the trial on Thursday, the regional court decided to release the young person from custody. After examining the arrest warrant, the chamber no longer recognized any grounds for arrest, a spokesman for the Neubrandenburg regional court said on Thursday evening. “The reason for detention was the risk of repetition.”
According to a spokesman, the court is obliged at all times during the proceedings to examine whether there are grounds for pre-trial detention. These were no longer identified after witnesses were questioned on Thursday. But this has nothing to do with the question of guilt. From the perspective of the public prosecutor, however, no new facts have emerged with regard to the defendant’s pre-trial detention.
Mayor: “I can’t understand it”
Last September, the then 14-year-old is said to have beaten and stabbed Joel in the community of Pragsdorf near Neubrandenburg. Less than two weeks later, the suspect was taken into custody. He faces a prison sentence of up to ten years. According to information from the German Press Agency, the defendant remained silent at the start of the trial on Tuesday. No information leaked out of the courtroom regarding the witness statements from those close to Joel and the defendant.
Pragsdorf’s mayor Ralf Opitz was horrified by the Neubrandenburg regional court’s decision to release the defendant from custody. “I can’t understand it,” said Opitz. He learned of the dismissal from a citizen who was in contact with Joel’s family.
After the teenager was suspected, the defendant’s family moved away from Pragsdorf. It is not known where the family lives now. Community leader Opitz also said he didn’t know. “And that’s just as well.” The regional court’s decision to release the young person will not increase the feeling of security in the village, said Opitz. “You can’t get into your head what’s going on.” 24-hour monitoring is needed to ensure there is no risk of recurrence, he said.
The defendant’s brother is also being investigated
The case surrounding Joel’s murder caused a nationwide stir. There have been two days of negotiations in the process so far. The next date is scheduled for February 27th. After that, four more dates are planned until the end of March. Then there could be a verdict.
In connection with the case, the public prosecutor’s office is also investigating the defendant’s 17-year-old brother. “The investigation is ongoing,” said the public prosecutor’s office. She did not give any specific details in order not to further jeopardize the ongoing investigation and the ongoing process.
