A prominent defense lawyer in Germany has sharply criticized prosecutors for failing to issue an arrest warrant after a brutal knife attack on a local mayor — carried out, according to investigators, by her own 17-year-old adopted daughter.
Despite evidence that the teenager tortured Social Democrat (SPD) mayor Iris Stalzer for hours, tried to set her on fire, and stabbed her 13 times, prosecutors are treating the case only as “bodily harm” rather than attempted murder.
“I wish every accused person fair treatment, but I can’t understand this,” defense attorney Adam Ahmed told Welt TV. “Why no arrest warrant was issued for attempted manslaughter or even attempted murder is beyond me.” He questioned the prosecutor’s reliance on the fact that the girl later called emergency services, which they argue shows a lack of intent to kill. “With at least 13 stab wounds, criminal lawyers speak of an intent to kill – if the crime had been completed, one could even speak of overkill,” Ahmed said. “If the emergency call was not voluntary but part of a deception, then there is no withdrawal exempt from punishment – and thus at least an attempted manslaughter.”
The attack on 57-year-old Stalzer in her home in Herdecke on Oct. 7 shocked Germany. Remix News previously reported how the mayor was held in the basement and subjected to hours of torture. The teenager allegedly tried to ignite her mother’s hair and clothes with deodorant spray and a lighter before stabbing her repeatedly with two kitchen knives. Police later found one of the knives and blood-stained clothing in the backpack of Stalzer’s 15-year-old adopted son, while a second knife was discovered in his bedroom.
Despite this, Senior Public Prosecutor Bernd Halldorn told reporters there were “no plans” to seek an arrest warrant. He said investigators believed the daughter did not intend to kill her mother because she had called emergency services after the assault. Both adopted children have since been released into the care of the youth welfare office.
The daughter initially told police that “several men” had attacked Stalzer, a claim now believed to have been fabricated to mislead investigators. Forensic teams also found that blood had been scrubbed from the scene.
Ahmed argued that the prosecutor’s interpretation of the case overlooks evidence suggesting premeditation and deception. He pointed to a previous incident over the summer in which police were reportedly called after the daughter threatened Stalzer with a knife. “It could even be relevant for assessing the characteristics of a murder,” he said. “There’s a lot of evidence pointing to a planned crime. The emergency call doesn’t seem spontaneous, but rather well-thought-out.”
UPDATE: The German mayor of Herdecke, Iris Stalzer, is now conscious and can speak, according to reports.
German media outlets, including Focus, are reporting that her adopted 17-year-old daughter is said to be a focus of the investigation.
Weeks earlier, the 17-year-old had… https://t.co/pUXxUh7iWw
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 7, 2025Halldorn’s handling of the investigation has fuelled further criticism. He admitted that the 15-year-old boy, in whose possession key evidence was found, has not even been formally questioned because he lacked legal representation. When asked if the boy had supported the stabbing, Halldorn called it a “good question” and said the facts were still being established.
Stalzer was airlifted to a hospital in Bochum with life-threatening injuries, including lung punctures and blunt force trauma to the skull. Police believe the attack began in the basement and that she dragged herself upstairs afterward.
Prosecutors continue to insist the daughter lacked intent to kill, but critics argue that the attempt to deceive police and clean the crime scene contradicts that view. Ahmed said the Ministry of Justice may ultimately have to intervene. “It’s incomprehensible to anyone that they’re only assuming grievous bodily harm,” he said. “In my view, a directive from the ministry would be appropriate to reassess the case.”
Remix News also checked the facts of the case with major AI programs, including Gemini. They all showed that given the reported facts in this case, the daughter’s “withdrawal” would not be relevant in light of the fact that she took various actions that show she did not truly act with remorse and work to save her mother’s life.
In addition, defense attorney Adam Ahmad is not the only one questioning this case. Remix News reported over the weekend on other defense attorneys who note the withdrawal of the attempted murder charge does not make sense in light of the facts in this case.
“The decisive factor is the perpetrator’s perception when aborting the crime. The perpetrator must therefore be subjectively aware that if he stops now, his actions will not lead to the victim’s death. I consider this extremely dubious in this case, given the blatant use of violence. Furthermore, the perpetrator is said to have covered up evidence and led the police on a false trail,” stated well-known defense attorney Hans Reinhard.
