A banal discussion about who should avoid the other on the sidewalk leads to a trial in Vienna for attempted murder. A 22-year-old, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in his youth, stabbed the victim during the confrontation. The young Viennese claims to have been massively threatened: “I was terrified.”
Not an easy task for the jury on Wednesday in the Wiener Landl. In front of them sits a 22-year-old boy who suffers from an autism disorder. He is accused of attempted murder of a man he did not know on May 21 in the Danube city. Michael (not his real name) was on his way to the bus as usual when the would-be victim came straight towards him on the sidewalk. Because he did not swerve but stopped, the man allegedly shouted: “Heast, can’t you swerve?”
Michael explains this by saying that he always walks along the grass verge and also looks at his cell phone. A little later they met again. It is not possible to explain exactly why. The victim believes the suspect was following him. He, in turn, claims that he was just walking quickly on his way to the bus and that he wasn’t even thinking about the incident.
“Should I have gotten myself killed?”
Anyway, on the second contact a scuffle ensued, both men ended up on the ground, the victim on top of the perpetrator. “Out of fear of death,” the suspect claims to have taken the knife from his fanny pack – a souvenir from a trip to Japan – and stabbed him: a total of six times, according to the public prosecutor. “The man had a bloodthirsty, psychopath-like appearance and shouted: ‘I’m going to kill you,’” said the client of lawyer Rudolf Mayer, who argued self-defense.
In the seconds that he drew the knife, he was still thinking hard about how he would stab him so that the man would let him go: “I read anatomy books. “I know how far you can go so you don’t die,” he denies the attempted murder.
And further: “What should I have done if I had let myself be killed?” Judge Nicole Baczak wants to know if he is sorry: “What sick psychopath wouldn’t regret that, of course? “It is disgusting, disgusting and abhorrent to stab someone,” the 22-year-old said.
Young mother offended by the victim
A witness also said that the victim was aggressive that day. The woman was unloading her stroller from the car when the passerby walked past her and shouted, “Be glad I don’t hit you on the head.” She recognizes the witness in the courtroom.
He, in turn, denies the incident: “I was completely relaxed that day. Things went well both privately and at work,” says the logistics employee. According to his version, the suspect had a “vacant look”. And when he is attacked, “a grin, like a horror clown. I thought he was going to kill me.”
Judgment pending.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
