Cannibal victim's last hours

2003-12-12 20:38

Kassel - Forensic and toxicology experts told a German court on Friday the victim of an act of cannibalism was still alive - but probably drugged -when his killer was carving him up before administering the fatal knife wounds.

Forensic scientist Manfred Risse told the court in Kassel that self-declared cannibal Armin Meiwes knew his victim was alive when he began to cut him apart.

Meiwes, 42, has admitted killing and eating his victim. He denied it was murder, however, claiming to have slashed the victim's throat before cutting him up.

But, Risse's testimony countered this claim.

"He (the victim) was still moving his head back and forth. He was still breathing, his lips were moving," the forensic scientist said, describing what he had seen on a video tape taken of the deed.

Risse, giving evidence on the third day of the trial, said that if help had been sought in time, the 43-year-old victim's life could have been saved after his penis had been severed earlier.

Had swallowed 20 sleeping tablets

In later testimony on Friday, toxicologist Harald Schuetz said the victim was heavily under the influence of alcohol and medication in the final moments.

Schuetz said the victim had drunk two bottles of a cold medicine containing alcohol and a bottle of schnaps, and had swallowed 20 sleeping tablets.

The combination had made him drowsy and less sensitive to pain, the expert told the court.

The two experts' testimony appeared to diverge in some aspects about the victim's final hours.

Meiwes said the victim had drunk the bottle of schnaps after his penis was severed, but that this could no longer be proved.

Also, the moment when the fatal stabs of the knife were applied came 10 hours later, when, in any event, the alcohol would have worn off, said the forensic expert.

During all the testimony with its grisly details, the defendant, Meiwes, sat quietly in court, showing no emotion. At some points, he asked questions of the forensic expert.

The court was also told on Friday that Meiwes was highly regarded as a fellow worker and friend at his job for a computer firm in Kassel.

The victim, an engineer Meiwes had met via the internet, had consumed two bottles of a medicine to treat common cold symptoms, 20 sleeping pills and half a bottle of schnaps before he was killed.

'Killing on demand' charge

Meiwes is charged with murder "for sexual satisfaction" and "disturbing the peace of the dead" for butchering the corpse. He could be jailed for life.

His defence is pressing for a lesser charge of "killing on demand" which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence.

In evidence on the previous two days of the trial, Meiwes described how he cut up and ate his victim, saying he was merely carrying out his partner's wishes.

Earlier this week, the court viewed video tapes of the killing and butchering of the body in a session held in private.

- SAPA