Whatever the verdict next week, one thing is already certain: the suspended police officers Andreas Z. and Erik S. will never wear their blue uniforms again. On the last day of the hearing before the Munich district court, both assured that they “100 percent” no longer wanted to return to the police force. In her plea, the public prosecutor called for one year and ten months’ imprisonment on probation for the men. In her view, the main hearing proved that the police officers, among other things, pursued innocent people and gave false testimony as witnesses in court. The defense attorneys saw things differently and pleaded for acquittal on this charge.
“We’ve heard a lot here that could raise doubts about the police,” said the prosecutor in her closing speech. “But it’s the excesses of a few.” She was probably alluding to the chat messages that circulated among the police officers in various groups. They boasted that they drove out as a policeman “to destroy people”. To perceive the helplessness that overcomes those affected in the face of the violence they have used is “divine”. But you can’t do it that often, “otherwise you’ll notice it at some point”.
The fact that such chats among police officers came to light at all is thanks to a drug dealer who built an accident while high – and later made himself available to the police as a key witness. His cell phone contained an impressive list of clients, and he boasted that he sold coke to cops and they protected him in return. Soko Nightlife was then installed at the State Criminal Police Office, which rummaged through police cell phones – and came across strange Whatsapp chats.
Various incidents are documented in chat messages and videos
This is how you got news from Andreas Z. and Erik S. and an incident from November 2016. The two of them checked two young men in front of the 089 bar. Control escalated, and Andreas Z. claims one of the men pushed him twice to come to his friend’s aid. Z. repeated this statement in court. S. says he heard Z. defend himself against an attack. Later, Z. brags to a colleague in the chat that he invented an act that was tried in court. “You wanker,” replies the colleague. Z. then sends a photo of the colleague, apparently consuming coke. And Andreas Z. and Erik S. wrote after the trial against the young men: “For the fact that the shove against me was fictitious, 300 euros is a lot. Actually really bad.” Then they laugh about how humiliating it was for the men to have to apologize to them.
Or another case documented by video. There is Andreas Z. standing at the old town police station, next to him a heavily drunk older man who was taken into custody and who is babbling to himself on a chair. Z. gets angry about the fact that he just came back from vacation and now has to be angry again. “I’ll knock your teeth out, you funny person,” he says. In addition, Z. is said to have bought cocaine, called “Cola” in the chat, and passed it on to a colleague.
One of the accused works in the construction industry, the second has started studying
In the end it is Andreas Z. who apologizes and assures that he wants to become “a better person”. He has now founded a company and wants to work in the construction industry “as a subcontractor together with Dad”. He’s in therapy and off cocaine. Erik S. started studying law and built a house where he lives with his wife and child. “I no longer see my future in the police force,” he says.
Defense attorney Sebastian Weber did not consider the young man, who is said to have pushed his client Andreas Z. twice in front of the 089 bar, to be credible. “I’m convinced there was a nudge,” he said. Yes, his client then gave false testimony in court that he regretted it. He also admits the drug offenses and the coercion of the drunk. Attorney Christian Barthelmes demanded acquittal for his client S. The chats had “unpleasant content”, but did not prove “what took place in reality”. The police officers processed their service with such messages.
Judge Cornelia Amtage will announce the verdict next Tuesday after consulting with her two lay judges.