In proceedings before the Maulbronn District Court, three young men of Macedonian origin were acquitted of the charge of seriously injuring a 29-year-old German-Turkish man in Mühlacker’s Bahnhofstraße in September 2023. The charges included punches, kicks, and a resulting jaw fracture sustained by the victim.
During the trial, the statements of the four witnesses in court contradicted the original police reports significantly. The victim himself downplayed his earlier statement that he had “suffered multiple punches and kicks,” instead stating that there had been “only one punch from behind,” the perpetrator of which he could not identify. The other witnesses were also unable or unwilling to clearly recall the incident, emphasizing their vague recollection due to an allegedly large crowd.
Judge Sebastian Kreiner and Senior Public Prosecutor Sigrid Micol expressed their concern over the contradictory and unclear statements, which provided no reliable basis for a conviction. Consequently, the defense attorneys successfully argued for acquittal. The judge justified the decision based on “insufficient evidence of the offense.” Outstanding questions, such as whether there had been agreements or threats prior to the trial, remained unanswered.
