The Park Bench Story

 We have a court case opening up today in Zweibrucken (SW corner of the Pfalz)....involving attempted manslaughter.

So to lay out this case....there were this husband of a wife (both in their 50s)....who seemed to have an argument of some type.  Eventually, the husband got up, walked out of the house, and ended up on a bench by the street.

This occurred in a quiet village...maybe around 1,500 residents.  Just guessing (having lived in the rural aspects of the Pfalz)....there's probably twenty park benches around, and this is traditionally where a guy goes (with a beer) to chill out after after getting an hour-long lecture by the wife. 

This was in the evening hours, and the police don't really say if it was early evening, late evening, if either had a fair sum to drink, or what the argument was even about.

What the prosecutor is going to lead off on for this case?  The woman left the apartment and followed him in the car.  Apparently, he took her cellphone as he left.  The reason why?   Unknown.

I'm just making a guess here....she probably made some social media comments or criticisms over him, and he was going to review these...in a 'quiet peace' on the bench.

There at the bench....she confronted him and just demanded her phone back.  That's all....at least we can assume that.

He says sure, and then hands the phone to her.

The wife then gets into the car, and basically drives forward, toward the bench....at around 30 kilometers per hour (applying no brakes).  

In this situation, the bench broke loose from the concrete and the husband fell with the bench....backwards.  

There's some injury but apparently.....it was not a mortal life-and-death thing.

The car involved?  This is left out of the story, and I'm guessing it was a fairly small car with no serious bumper.

What'll come out of the case?  Anyone's guess.

The German code 212 falls into play here....attempted manslaughter?  Yep, and if convicted....it could be between five and fifteen years of prison.

All over a perceived 'wrong' by the husband walking out of a 'lecture'?  Yeah. 

One issue here....there's just no evidence of a witness to this....except when the husband was trapped between the bench and the car....needing 'help' then.  If the wife was stupid enough to say something when the ambulance arrived....that might go against her.