Graz in shock: Experts move frightening parallels to amok drivers

Graz in shock: Experts move frightening parallels to amok drivers

In the Styrian state capital Graz, society is once again in the shade of a terrible crime. Ten years after Alen R.'s killing trip on June 20, 2015, in which three people were killed and dozens were seriously injured, expert Manfred Walzl draws parallels between Alen R. and the well-known "school shooter" Arthur A. Walzl, who had 16 conversations with the perpetrator, found that both people have similar thoughts. In particular, the feeling of not being responsible for your actions connects them. This frightening commonality revives the shadows of the past over Graz Again, while it remains unclear whether Alen R. has deliberately chosen his anniversary. Krone reports on the current discussion about the psychological foundations of such acts.

The jury process against Alen R. began on September 20, 2016 at the Graz regional court, whereby the central question was the manner's accounting capacity at the time of the crime. The expert Jürgen Müller diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia and found that the accountability was not given. Nevertheless, the jury unanimously decided that Alen R. was accountable. Ultimately, he was guilty in all charges and sentenced to life imprisonment and accommodation in an institution for mentally abnormal legal breakers. The defender Liane Hirschbrich then announced the complaint. Graz documents the legal processing of the tragedy.

support for the victims

After the devastating incident, the city of Graz set up an aid fund for the victims on June 22, 2015. This national support network should cover follow -up costs that are not covered by liability insurance. To date, over 105,000 euros have been collected in donations, which gave 65 people with more than 67,000 euros. The money is managed by university principals and the magistrate director, whereby the allocation of the donations is monitored by the city tariff. This is to ensure that the help arrives where it is most urgently needed.

accountability in case law

The question of accountability is not only important in the case of Alen R. A judgment of the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) of April 17, 2018 also deals with the psychological consequences of a killing spree and the attribution of psychological impairments. In this case, a police officer suffered an adaptation disorder after a killing spree of a former student. The BGH decided that mental health injuries that occur as a result of a killing spree are fundamentally attributable to the gunner regardless of a professional risk. This could be considered a precise legal framework for future disputes related to victims of violence. Juracademy explains the underlying legal considerations and their relevance.