Augsburg Case Still Developing

A few weeks ago, I essayed a piece on the murder of a Augsburg region firefighter who went with his wife and another couple to the city Christmas Market, got into some kind of brawl, and ended up dead (with seven juveniles potentially as suspects).  So more has occurred since then.

I should note, that the seven ran from the scene, but because of cameras in use.....pictures were noted and all seven were brought into a judges chamber.  However, because of the age business.....all are treated as juveniles....meaning none of them can get serious time in prison for the 'act'.

So last week, the juvenile court system in the local area had reviewed the evidence, and dismissed six out of the seven.  One 17-year-old kid was held then on the dangerous bodily harm, and homicide.  Most folks thought that six were then 'safe'.

Well, yesterday, the prosecutor came right back on the six released, to a regional judge who had standing over the local judge, and he reinstated their charges.  Same as homicide or dangerous bodily harm?  It doesn't appear that way....simply being accessories to the first guy seems to be their situation.   

N-TV tells part of this basic story.

Whats the deal about?  I would take a guess that in the city of Augsburg.....this murder episode has drawn a lot of public attention.  The fact that the police noted early on that the bulk of the seven had interacted with the police before (they had notes in their records)....triggered people to ask more questions.

But here's the thing, as long as you are in juvenile status in Germany (ages 14 to 20)....you will not get serious jail time for bad behavior.  The German perception (going back decades) has been that you can't be really that responsible for your actions until you are regarded as an adult (meaning over the age of 20).  There are continual pressures on the system to modify itself, and the political system continues resist these pressures.

As for the six associates?  Even if you convict them on some accessory charge, I would have serious doubts that they'd do more than six months in some juvenile detention center.