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Dresden Manslaughter Trial Stalls as Defense Seeks New Forensic Review

The court is weighing a defense request for a fresh expert report that could halt the proceedings and push back any verdict.

Overview

  • The defense asked the Dresden regional court to commission additional expert opinions, including on risks associated with home births.
  • Judges are reviewing the motion, and ordering a new report would pause the trial and require it to restart, making a near-term judgment uncertain.
  • Prosecutors allege the act was planned, citing a concealed pregnancy and an attempt to obtain an abortion pill from a Canadian organization, and they seek seven years for manslaughter.
  • The defendant described a home birth in Freital, said the baby fell into the toilet, and admitted placing the body in a biowaste bin, while her lawyer read a statement asserting the child was born dead.
  • The court medical examiner could not determine a precise cause of death, which the defense argues undercuts proof of intent and causation.