BERLIN, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The highly-anticipated Love Parade trial has begun at the Duisburg Regional Court on Friday, more than seven years after the incident took place in July 2010.
Six Duisburg city officials and four employees of the event-organizer Lopavent are charged with counts of involuntary manslaughter as well as causing bodily harm through negligence. A total of 21 people, aged between 17 and 38, died and at least 652 were injured at the popular techno music parade.
However, former Mayor Adolf Sauerland (CDU) and the owner of the rights to the Love Parade Rainer Schaller, will not face trial. Instead, they will be summoned as witnesses.
The 556-page indictment issued by the Duisburg public prosecution office raises accusations of serious mistakes in the planning and approval process. The area where the mass panic occurred was the only entry and exit portal to the Love Parade provided by organizers.
The initial arraignment at the beginning of court proceedings on Friday was delayed by several bias petitions directed at lay judges. In one case, the defense complained that the step-daughter of a lay judge had herself attended the Love Parade, even though she was not injured.
Observers expect the trial to become one of the most comprehensive judicial cases in recent memory due to the large number of people involved and the wealth of evidence accumulated by state prosecutors.
The Duisburg Regional Court has moved the main hearing to a congress hall in Duesseldorf which can seat 500 people. Around 30 defense lawyers will oppose 35 prosecution attorneys. More than 60 individuals are appearing as joint plaintiffs in the trial.
An emergency pastoral care team will be on standby at all of the 111 trial dates scheduled in 2018. Judges must take thousands of hours of video material and 53,500 pages of key notes into account during the trial.
Unless a verdict is reached by the end of July 2020, the charges will fall under the statute of limitations and become void.
