The escape of a pre-trial detainee suspected of terrorism during hospital treatment caused widespread alarm in Vienna on February 2. The prison guard who accompanied the 19-year-old to the interrogation was so embarrassed by the incident that he recorded it incorrectly. That is why he ended up before a jury on Friday on charges of defamation and abuse of office.
It is rare for trial observers to feel sorry for suspects. In this case, there is sympathy in the room. The 47-year-old Viennese, who appears depressed, says in one of the first sentences that he has not been feeling well since the incident and is therefore now receiving treatment.
No handcuffs due to illness
Every day he thinks about February 2: “After almost twenty years of service, something like this happens,” he sighs sadly. The man has been a prison guard since 2005 and as such worked for several years at the Brothers of Mercy Hospital in Leopoldstadt. “The chief doctor ordered that the prisoner be taken to the examination department without confinement, that is, without handcuffs. Due to his illness, his life was in danger if he fell.”
So he took the pretrial detainee, dressed in pajamas and slippers, unsecured to the neurology department: “Everything went smoothly. Until we got into the elevator when we returned. I turned around for a moment to press. Unfortunately, as soon as the door closed, the resident slipped through and ran away.
The 19-year-old, apparently suspected of being a terrorist, stormed out and, after a massive manhunt, was only arrested again the next day.
Invented blow out of shame
The reason that the 47-year-old prison guard has to answer for abuse of authority and defamation on Friday does not have to do with his escape, but with the report he wrote about the incident on February 26. In it he stated that the prisoner hit him on the forehead with his fist and was therefore able to escape. “I falsely stated that the prisoner attacked me. “Out of shame,” the officer admitted sadly.
He even injured his head while running after the escapee. “Then I hit myself against the elevator door.”
The procedure is stopped
A video shown during the trial shows the non-violent, yet spectacular escape scenes. “Being a prison guard is a very strenuous and stressful job,” says judge Mathias Funk with some understanding and suggests that the defendant receive a diversion in the form of a fine of 4,000 euros. The procedure will therefore be discontinued. De Weener, against whom disciplinary proceedings are still underway, accepts.
Meanwhile, the 19-year-old was legally convicted on October 9 in Wiener Neustadt of membership of a criminal organization and a terrorist organization. He is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.
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.
