A 62-year-old man from Styria attacked his brother with a hammer and knife – according to the indictment, to kill him. But the victim refused to testify in court in Graz, probably to protect his brother. The defendant confessed to a smashed front door and hammer blows on a brother’s chainsaw. The jury ruled: no attempted murder, only criminal damage.
Drunk and seriously off track from psychotropic drugs – a Styrian is said to have attacked his brother with a knife and a mason’s hammer. Attempted murder, according to prosecutor Rudolf Fauler. But all information about the crime comes from the perpetrator himself.
The alleged victim refused to testify before the presiding judge, Catherine Bütler, on Friday. “I’m exercising my right to refuse,” he says, waving his brother gently in the dock.
Defender Gerald Ruhri describes the relationship in Styria as close. “Yes, my client has a drinking problem. The alcohol definitely played a role. I argue more and react differently. But he would never kill the most important person in life.”
“I was angry!”
The trained interior decorator admits that he “wanted to do something” at his brother’s court. He was angry because he called him an alcoholic on the phone. So he took a hammer and a knife. With that he smashed the front door behind which his brother had fled. “Did you want to kill him?” asks the judge. “N/A! N/A! I didn’t mean to. I was stupid!”
The jury believed the defendant and pronounced a verdict of criminal damages. In addition, there was an attempt to resist a police operation in which the Styrian behaved drunk. He committed it when he was free after his arrest. Penalty: Twelve months imprisonment, four of which are unconditional. Due to his previous arrest, he should go home on Friday.
Source: Krone
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