A Shocking Verdict in a Fateful Encounter
The Unfortunate Day
On August 8, 2022, at 4:27 p.m., five officers and 16-year-old Mouhamed Dramé collide in Dortmund's Nordstadt district. This unfortunate encounter would alter the lives of all five officers and tragically end Dramé's. The case is being heard at Dortmund District Court after a fatal operation.
A Night Out in Dortmund
A crowd of people is gathering at the Dortmund District Court, which sits between Hamburger Strasse and Kornerstraße. Three hours prior to the trial's commencement, approximately 30 individuals are present at the back entrance on the main street, enduring the rain outside the vigil tent for Mouhamed Dramé. About 100 people have come to remember the Senegalese teenager, killed just a week earlier in the Nordstadt district.
Internal turmoil infused the police officers who must answer for Mouhamed Dramé's death. Christoph Krekeler, the lawyer for the main defendant, Fabian S., shares insights into his client's life in his opening statement. Krekeler states that "the defendants were 'very burdened' by the proceedings and that everything had occurred rapidly on August 8th." The environment surrounding Dramé back then was perceived as threatening, and regulations regarding using Tasers and submachine guns were not strictly adhered to.
A Landmark Trial in Dortmund
This trial, happening since the 2017 attack on Borussia Dortmund players, is the largest of its kind in the city. A significant number of police guarded Kaiserstraße hours before the trial, while various tubs lined the shopping street. Plainclothes officers hid outside a bakery, and activists from the Justice4Mouhamed solidarity group were calling for donations to support Dramé's family.
Stretched Capacity
Courtroom officials had to manage the large number of spectators during the trial, each one subject to individual checks and providing personal details. The district court is equipped with space, seating 200 in its jury courtroom, but the vast interest in this case overflowed the room.
The Tragic Escalation
Dramé sat in a courtyard that was enclosed on three sides, with a church wall on two sides and a fence on the third. He held a "standard kitchen knife" to his stomach and wouldn't respond to the two civilian officers. They asked, "Hey, hello, are you okay?" and "Ola, hasta bien? Paplos Espanol?" before the calamitous outcome.
Facing the Consequences
Fabian S., the gunman in this situation, faces up to ten years in prison for 'killing a person without being a murderer.' The trial will commence on January 10, 2024.
The Public's Response
Worldwide, human rights and racial justice experts pay close attention to the case's developments, hoping justice will be served. The protests and demonstrations, including one in Dessau on Oury Jalloh's death anniversary, represent concerns regarding police violence and lack of accountability in Germany.
Sources:
Enrichment Data:
Although external attention to the case remained considerable, concerns regarding the family's ability to attend court proceedings were never explicitly highlighted in the sources. The acquittal, along with the subsequent protests, underscore the ongoing challenges related to police violence and accountability in Germany.
