Acquittal of murder

Autistic man stabbed stranger in Vienna: Self-defense?

The 22-year-old defendant is released from custody.

(Bild: Zwefo/Krone KREATIV)

A trivial argument about who had to avoid the other person on the sidewalk led to an attempted murder trial in Vienna. A 22-year-old, who was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome in childhood, stabbed the victim during the confrontation. The young Viennese man claims to have been severely threatened: "I was scared to death." The jury followed his reasoning.

Not an easy task for the jury on Wednesday in Vienna's Landl district. Sitting before them is a 22-year-old who suffers from an autism disorder. He is accused of the attempted murder of a stranger on May 21 in Donaustadt. Michael (name changed) was on his way to the bus as usual when the later victim approached him directly on the sidewalk. Because he did not swerve but stopped, the man is said to have scolded him: "Hey, can't you swerve?"

Hey, can't you get out of the way?

Dieser Satz des Opfers löste alles aus.

Michael justified this by saying that he always walks along the green lane and was also looking at his cell phone. A little later, they bumped into each other again. It is not possible to say exactly why. The victim believes that the accused followed him. He, in turn, claims that he was only walking quickly on his way to the bus and had not even thought about the incident.

Defense lawyer Rudolf Mayer defended successfully.

(Bild: Zwefo)

"Should I have let myself be murdered?"
In any case, there was a scuffle during the second contact and both men ended up on the ground, the victim on top of the perpetrator. "In mortal fear", the defendant claims to have reached for the knife in his belt pouch - a souvenir from a trip to Japan - and stabbed him: Six times in total, according to the prosecutor. "The man had a bloodthirsty psychopath look on his face and shouted 'I'll kill you'," pleaded the client of lawyer Rudolf Mayer in self-defense.

I've read anatomy books. I know how far you can go without dying.

Der angeklagte 22-Jährige

In the seconds when he drew the knife, he was still thinking carefully about how to stab the man above him so that he would let him go: "I've read anatomy books. I know how far you can go so that you don't die," he says, denying an attempted murder.

And continues: "What should I have done, should I have let myself be murdered?" Judge Nicole Baczak wants to know whether he is sorry: "Of course, what sick psychopath wouldn't be sorry? It's disgusting, disgusting and repulsive to stab a person," the 22-year-old says loudly.

Young mother mobbed by the victim
A witness also says that the victim was aggressive that day. The woman was unloading her baby carriage from the car when the passer-by walked past her and shouted: "Be glad I'm not going to hit you in the head." She recognizes the witness in court. 

Court psychiatrist Peter Hofmann examined the defendant.

(Bild: Groh)

He in turn denied the incident: "I was totally relaxed that day. Things were going well in my private life and also at work," says the logistics employee. According to his version, the accused had a "vacant look". And during the attack "a grin, like some kind of horror clown. I thought he was going to kill me."

Jury decides on self-defense
After two hours of deliberation, the jury decided that the 22-year-old acted in self-defense. He is acquitted of attempted murder - not legally binding - and released.