Women drugged and raped? Closing arguments in Berlin trial of 69-year-old
Closing arguments begin today at Berlin's regional court in the trial of a 69-year-old accused of drugging, raping and filming 14 women. Investigators are looking into offenses against 44 more women.
Symbolic image · Photo: Gerd Eichmann / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Closing arguments, which are closed to the public, are due to begin on Wednesday in the trial of a 69-year-old Berlin man over an alleged series of rapes. Prosecutors accuse the man of drugging, raping and filming 14 women in 22 instances between 2016 and the end of 2022. The women were between 50 and 60 at the time. The charges include rape, dangerous bodily harm and violating intimate privacy by filming.
At the start of the trial about two months ago, the defendant said through his lawyer: "I admit the rapes." He said the course of events described in the indictment was accurate but gave no details. He has been in pretrial detention since March. Whether a verdict will come on the 14th day of the trial is open. Separately from the current case, investigations are under way into further alleged offenses against 44 women. The defendant is presumed innocent until a final verdict.