Judgment in the Mouhamed case: Police facing acquittals in Dortmund!

Judgment in the Mouhamed case: Police facing acquittals in Dortmund!

On Thursday, December 12, 2024, the Dortmund regional court will decide on the case of the fatal police shooting of 16-year-old Mouhamed Dramé. The teenager died in August 2022 when he was hit by five shots from a submachine gun during an operation at a youth welfare facility. Mouhamed, a refugee from Senegal, was leaning in a niche with a knife to his stomach and, according to the officials, wanted to hurt himself. After his aggressive behavior, the service group leader ordered the use of pepper spray, which, however, did not have the desired effect and caused Mouhamed to approach the police officers before the fatal shot was fired. According to a report by Radio 91.2 In the trial against the five police employees, four of them are now expected to be acquitted.

Trial details and charges

A total of five officers were charged. The shooter, who was initially accused of manslaughter, could plead self-defense. “He mistakenly believed that he was in such a situation,” as the public prosecutor explained. In addition, two police officers have been charged with grievous bodily harm and an operations manager has been charged with incitement. The taking of evidence led to a change in the prosecutor's assessment. This ultimately called for acquittals for four defendants, while only the head of operations was expected to be convicted of negligent homicide, reports South German newspaper.

The intense media coverage and legal consequences of the case cast a shadow over the police officers, who always justified that they had to act to protect themselves and others. Before the regional court, today's verdict would be seen as a groundbreaking decision, both for the officers involved and for the public perception of police operations, especially in the context of mentally stressed people.