Halid S., the 23-year-old who claimed a man’s life with a single punch at Augsburg’s Königsplatz in 2019, has returned to the courtroom just months after spending years in prison. This time, he stands accused alongside four other defendants for a brutal assault allegedly fueled by homophobia.
A German-Turkish man, Halid S. already served a four-and-a-half-year sentence in a youth prison for punching a family man during a heated argument. The blow resulted in a cerebral hemorrhage that killed the victim. Halid S. was only free for a few months before this latest incident occurred.
The prosecution alleges that nearly a year ago, a night of partying on Augsburg’s Maximilianstraße turned violent. Halid S. and his group, all of whom are men with a migration background and none of whom have even completed vocational training, consumed a three-liter bottle of vodka and cocaine before they went out. Once on the streets, they encountered a homosexual couple at an ATM. The indictment suggests the victims were targeted specifically because they were recognizable as a gay couple, according to the Augsburger Allgemeine media outlet.
According to the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office, the confrontation escalated rapidly. After sexual insults were hurled, one victim reportedly grabbed a defendant by the collar. Four of the five friends are then accused of punching and kicking the couple.
Witnesses described the attackers taking run-ups to kick the men in the head and torso while they were already defenseless on the ground.
During the opening of the trial at the Regional Court, Halid S. appeared shackled and expressed regret through his attorney, David Mühlberger. While he admitted to delivering blows, he denied kicking the victims in the head.
“I am truly sorry about the matter and will express this if requested by the injured parties,” he said.
The defense emphasized that the 23-year-old is willing to pay restitution and claims to have turned a corner regarding his substance abuse:
“I am not and will not use alcohol or drugs again,” said Halid S.
🇩🇪‼️ "I will beat you till you die… Look at your pig skin."
A migrant makes sexist, racist, and anti-LGBT remarks against young women in the Berlin train system near the Tempelhof stop. pic.twitter.com/LuJZCcrTsT
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) November 19, 2024This case has reignited a fierce debate in Augsburg regarding the efficacy of the penal system. During his first trial, judges noted Halid S. had an aggression problem requiring intensive treatment. His swift return to violent crime suggests that rehabilitation efforts appear to have failed.
The trial involves five men between the ages of 23 and 25 facing charges of grievous bodily harm, insults, and threats with a hate-crime designation. Eleven trial days have been scheduled to reach a verdict.
