Trial in Magdeburg faces an upsurge of additional claimants
In the heart of Magdeburg, the city is preparing for a trial of unprecedented scale. Klaus Tewes, the chief public prosecutor, is leading the charge, but he faces significant logistical and organizational challenges due to the high number of co-plaintiffs.
The attack in December 2022 resulted in six tragic deaths and nearly 300 injuries, and the defendant Taleb A. now stands accused. With around 80 affected individuals already registered as co-plaintiffs, and more being added daily, the trial is being referred to as a "giant trial."
The justice system in Saxony-Anhalt is searching for a sufficiently large hall to conduct the trial. Klaus Tewes has stated that there is currently no suitable location in the region to hold the trial with potentially hundreds of co-plaintiffs. If a suitable location is not found, the trial may be relocated to another federal state.
The high number of co-plaintiffs is a result of a change in the law from 2009 that improved victim protection and made it easier to access co-plaintiff status. This change has resulted in a trial that cannot be conducted in the existing court facilities.
The challenges faced in this trial are not unique. Capacity and space management, case management complexity, scheduling difficulties, security and order, and administrative burden are common in large-scale trials involving multiple plaintiffs and can strain the justice system’s resources and organization.
Klaus Tewes has expressed his criticism of the consequences of the 2009 law change that lowered barriers to co-plaintiff status, stating that the federal legislature may have gone too far. He further expressed his concerns in an interview with "Der Spiegel."
The historic center of Magdeburg, where the attack occurred, adds another layer of complexity to the trial. The public prosecutor's office fears that there could ultimately be hundreds of co-plaintiffs in the trial, which would exceed current capacities.
As the trial approaches, the justice system in Saxony-Anhalt is working diligently to overcome these challenges and ensure that justice is served. Further updates on the trial's progress and potential solutions to the logistical and organizational challenges will be reported as they become available.
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