Since the past few days, a tense trial has been underway at the Hamburg District Court. Three individuals, aged 41, 38, and 26, stand accused of committing a heinous act: joint murder and robbery. The public prosecutor painted a chilling picture of the night of April 14. In the privacy of an apartment, the trio, comprising a Serb, a Syrian, and a German, allegedly mixed methadone into the drink of a defenseless 39-year-old man, prowling for an opportunity to rob him.
According to the prosecution, the evening began with shared drinks and cocaine. Unbeknownst to the victim, the men surreptitiously added methadone to his drink, exploiting his defenseless state, which they were aware of. As a result, the man succumbed to an overdose in the early hours of April 15. The accused, driven by greed, then allegedly robbed him of his wristwatch and an undetermined sum of cash.
Not content with their actions, the defendants are also charged with ordering goods in the 39-year-old's name and breaking into his apartment and automobile to steal cell phones, business documents, and a laptop. The stolen items were intended for their personal use, the prosecutor claimed.
On the opening day of the trial, the defendants remained silent, with no statements provided. One man declined to make a statement, while another chose to defer his testimony until a later date. The third's testimony, if offered, would likely be in writing, according to their lawyers. The presiding judge expressed regret at the lack of immediate witness testimonies, concluding the first day of the trial earlier than anticipated.
The trial will resume on January 2, and the verdict is expected to be handed down by March 5.
Enrichment Data:
The story of the trial was not covered in the summarized sources, which predominantly focused on financial disputes, including a dispute over a success fee in a capital markets transaction, the Wirecard insolvency case in Germany, and recent decisions from the Unified Patent Court. For accurate and detailed information about the trial, it is recommended to consult a legal database or news source that specializes in German court proceedings.
