LANDGRAAF - The case against the eighteen men suspected of systematically attacking gays at a meeting place near the Brunssummerheide will last at least four or five days in April. "He will be a mega hearing," says prosecutor Wim Smits.Eleven of the eighteen suspects, all but one of whom are from Landgraaf, are minors. Their case will take place behind closed doors. A first brief, formal hearing took place yesterday. Several lawyers for the six adult suspects who had to appear still wanted to hear witnesses. Like criminal lawyer Arthur Vonken, who is defending 21-year-old Landgrave man T.D.. The latter, like his 18-year-old fellow townsman M.T." among others, are suspected of attempted manslaughter on Sept. 16, 2006. They drove their car off the road with the intention of killing a man, according to the prosecution. According to Vonken, his client does not deny involvement in a number of cases. But D. would have been identified as a co-perpetrator in a number of cases by a lot of witnesses, even though he denies it. His lawyer wants to hear those witnesses, mostly other suspects, about that.
In all, the court agreed to hear at least 15 people again: defendants and witnesses. This will take place prior to the actual trial.
The court refused to accede to the request of lawyer Serge Weening and Myria Pluijmen for a so-called Oslo confrontation. In it, one of the victims would have to pick out their clients from a line of people lined up. According to the lawyers, those suspects were falsely accused of kicking and kicking victim, whose car was also hit. Following the prosecutor, the court does not see the point of an Oslo confrontation. The presentation of photographs - a request by Vonken - was also rejected.
The prosecution charges the six defendants with five or six cases each. Among the charges they face are attempted manslaughter (maximum 15 years in prison), attempted extortion/theft with violence and threats.
