long version

April 05. 2001 :

Stay of the court case and amalgamation with the case against Rudolf Sch. announced - 3rd day in court

The Berlin RZ Court Case will quite likely be restarted in the middle of Mai. The Presiding Judge Gisela Hennig announced during todays third day of the court case, that she intends to stay the main court case on next Thursday. This step might be necessary if the court decides on that day, to amalgamate the current court case with the case against Rudolf Sch. , who is charged with similar offences.
The resulting new court case will not begin before the middle of Mai, to allow the councilors of Rudolf Sch. to work through the 115 binders of the case.

TERMINATION OF DETENTION?

For the 4 accused who are held in remand since 11 or 15 months, the stay would mean another five weeks of custody without progress in their case. Therefore, after the decision of the court about the stay of the court case, non-public bail hearings will be held for all 4 accused. If all of this will happen next Thursday, depends on the fact, if all of the additional files against Rudolf Sch. will be filed before the court until then. These files are currently on their way from the German High Court of Appeal , the Prosecutors Office and the High Court.

Rudolf Sch. was ordered to be tried in Berlin, after the German High Court of Appeal decided last week against a former decision of the Berlin High Court. The second senate of this Court had decided that the right to try him again was void, after he was aqquitted of similar charges in the OPEC Court Case in Frankfurt.

The court case was adjourned to Thursday April 12. 2001.