Argument in the parking lot

On purpose, says the public prosecutor. The 18-year-old driver, who is now on trial for murder in Heilbronn, sees it completely differently: He speaks through his lawyer of a driving error and an accident. And so the Heilbronn regional court is set to face a difficult trial on the question of guilt and responsibility.

The boy’s parents are seated in the back row of the courtroom, the mother is crying violently while the prosecutor describes what happened that evening from the investigators’ point of view. Accordingly, an argument broke out at the entrance to the supermarket between the twelve-year-old and the friend of the defendant.

“My car is and was sacred to me”

The younger boy asked for some change, there was an argument, one word gave way to another until insults were uttered and the child threatened to scratch the 18-year-old’s car, according to the prosecutor. The sore point, as the 18-year-old admits: “My car is and was sacred to me.”

As the children left on a bicycle and a scooter, the 18-year-old, according to the prosecutor, came up with his “vile plan for revenge and vigilante justice.” The 18-year-old was “driven by revenge” and decided to punish the 12-year-old “massively as a means of demonstrating power.”

Deeply offended, he chased the boy, who was six years his junior, with his car, hit him and dragged him for more than 20 meters before passers-by stopped him, it was said at the reading of the charges. The mother of the child who was killed watched the start of the trial in the courtroom in tears.

Murder charge instead of manslaughter

The child was cycling and died on site; His friend and companion, who was one year older, was able to get to safety in front of the car on his scooter and remained uninjured. The public prosecutor’s office initially assumed it was manslaughter, but the accusation was strengthened during the course of the investigation.

However, according to the 18-year-old’s account, it was by no means a murder, but rather a negligent bodily harm resulting in death. He explained that he wanted to leave the parking lot because of the argument. “I acted hastily, accelerated too much,” it was like a cavalier start. “I was overwhelmed at that moment,” he said. He had hardly any experience with his new car. “That probably led to a driving error.” He therefore had to take a wide berth to “get my car under control”.

“I just felt a blow” – witnesses incriminate defendant

He didn’t even see the two boys. “I just felt a hit, like I hit a curb,” he recalled. At no time did he intend to hurt any of the boys. “The fact that the encounter ended like this is cruel, even for me,” he said.

Witnesses who observed the incident in the parking lot then reported their experiences to the responsible chief inspector, as “Bild” reports. The 18-year-old drove off at full throttle and didn’t brake. No evasive maneuvers were observed either. During the trial, the police officer testified that it could be said that the victim was “duped” by the defendant.

According to the chamber, parts of the process and the pleas will be heard behind closed doors because those involved are too young. It is still unclear when the parents of the boy who was killed will comment.

A place in shock

The death of her son severely shocked the people of Niedernhall six months ago. For days there was sadness and horror in the small community in the north of Baden-Württemberg. The participants in a running event remembered the child in silence and with a minute’s silence. “We can’t believe it and are at a loss,” said Niedernhall’s mayor Achim Beck. People placed flowers in the parking lot and set up candles. The community also celebrated a memorial service with great sympathy.

Youth chamber and possible punishment

The suspect is currently in custody. The Large Youth Chamber wants to discuss the case by mid-May.

The reason is the age of the accused. Until the age of 21, defendants are not automatically viewed as adults in court. Rather, the legislature sees them as adolescents.

In such a case, the task of a youth chamber is not just to find out what happened. The judges must also determine the maturity of the defendant’s character. If experts from the juvenile justice system are convinced that he has a so-called delayed maturity, they will equate him with a juvenile. If the chamber shares this opinion, the defendant will be sentenced according to juvenile law.

In juvenile criminal law, the regular maximum penalty is ten years in prison. Murder is a special case. There can be up to 15 years if the court finds that the guilt is exceptionally serious.