by German Trial in Madeleine McCann Case Suspended Due to Potential Bias Concerns
The trial of a suspect in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann has been put on hold in Brunswick, Germany, after concerns were raised about potential bias. The defence team pointed to social media posts made by a lay judge, suggesting a bias that could impact the fairness of the trial.
The court has decided to postpone the trial for a week while it considers whether the lay judge should be removed. The judge’s tweets allegedly called for the killing of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and an animal torturer. Defence lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher argued that such a biased judge should not be involved in a fair criminal trial.
In addition to the social media posts, the defence team also raised concerns about the lay judge’s work as a child psychologist, suggesting it could introduce bias in a case involving the sexual abuse of children.
The defendant in question, Christian Brueckner, is already serving time in Germany for the rape of a woman in the Algarve region of Portugal, where McCann went missing. He now faces charges of aggravated rape and sexual abuse of children, allegedly committed between 2000 and 2017.
It is important to note that Brueckner has denied any involvement in McCann’s disappearance in 2007, and he has not been charged with any crime related to it.
Among the charges Brueckner was set to answer in court were the rape of a woman in her 70s in the Algarve, the sexual abuse of a girl aged at least 14, and the 2004 rape of a young woman in her home, which he is accused of recording on video.
Two years ago, Portuguese prosecutors investigating McCann’s disappearance identified a person whose details matched those of Brueckner. German police announced in June 2020 that McCann was presumed dead, and Brueckner was considered the likely perpetrator.
McCann vanished from her bedroom on May 3, 2007, during a family holiday in the resort of Praia da Luz while her parents were dining with friends nearby.
The trial will resume after the court decides on the removal of the lay judge and ensures a fair trial for all parties involved.
