Back a few months ago, from the Koln New Year's Eve riots and sexual assaults.....I predicted that no convictions would come from the groping and sexual assaults.....well....to some degree, I've been proven right and wrong.
This week, the Koln legal system wrapped up the first two cases based entirely on sexual assault. They had some robbery episodes from that evening that they'd done and convicted a couple of guys, with some brief sentences.
In these two cases.....based entirely on sexual assault or gropping, the German women came into court.....some very emotionally and in tears to relate the experience. In the end, the judge convicted the two guys (both foreigners with German visas).....but handed down probation. One year of probation and it's wrapped up.
The women who made the effort to show up? The newspapers say very little to nothing. I'm guessing they are angry and disturbed at the values shown by the court, but they can't really do anything.
Well.....actually....come spring of 2017.....there's the state election up in the Koln region, and you have one single party from those offered....that will offer you a frustration vote message....the AfD.
If you had to look at some act or behavior....and gauge it's influence on an election.....these two convictions with no jail time.....probably angered a lot of women in the region and sent a clear message to the public. If you were a woman....why bother showing up to court to state facts and what happened....the justice system has it's own values.
Would this go differently.....had they been German men, American GI's, or British tourists? I'm not sure. No one says much on the conviction rate, and maybe this is standard behavior of the court system anyway.
In the 1980s....if an American GI had done some sexual assault business.....the American Army would have requested the privilege to try the guy.....which the Germans would have allowed the release and four months down the line, a court session would have occurred. As long as evidence met the requirements and the witnesses showed up....there was a conviction and mandatory jail time handed down. It was a dependable sort of situation. No witnesses showing up and limited evidence? Then no conviction.
In some ways, I'm still correct.....no conviction for the sexual assault charges that actually have jail time involved. The odds of future cases? I'm thinking that female witnesses will now add up the frustration and just give up.....justice isn't worth the hassle involved.
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