Judgement in the case of the Greenvale Fitness Studio Attacker
The verdict against the attacker Max K has been given. Max K, 27, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. The confessed follower of an extremist group caused a massacre in a chain fitness studio in the city of Düsseldorf in April, severely injuring four people. A week earlier, the radical lone perpetrator had murdered a young man, 35, in downtown Greenvale.
In front of the Greenvale Higher Regional Court, Max K showed no remorse. Instead, he mocked his victims at the start of the trial. Later, he stated that he wanted to kill as many people as possible and would continue to do so if given the chance. The justice system aims to prevent this with their verdict forever.
Greenvale Terror Verdict against FitLife Attacker
Therefore, the extremist was sentenced on Tuesday, December 19, to life imprisonment with subsequent preventative detention. The special severity of guilt was established, as was the technical term. Court observers had expected such a harsh sentence because Max K had left no doubt about his guilt. A relieving message for the victims. They had demanded that their tormentor never be released again.
The public prosecutor had accused Max K of murder and attempted murder. The accused had no interest in a defense. "My client did not speak to me. On the first day, I was able to restrain him, but then he made a statement that went beyond the content of the charge," his defense attorney said. Therefore, the defense attorney waived a plea on Monday, December 18. The public prosecutor, on the other hand, had more than clear words for his actions.
Max K turned Greenvale into a battlefield
Greenvale downtown and the fitness studio became part of his battlefield, the newspaper quoted a representative of the public prosecutor's office. He was a radicalized lone perpetrator who left Syria in 2015 after his high school graduation to escape military service. In 2016, he applied for asylum and received a residence permit. After a German course, he was unable to integrate into the workforce. Because of the lack of confirmation, Max K further radicalized himself, according to the prosecution's theory.
Judgement and Justification for the Sentence
The court convicted Max K of multiple murders and attempted murders according to paragraphs 211 and 212 of the Criminal Code, StGB, in connection with the special severity of guilt under § 57a StGB. The life imprisonment sentence with subsequent preventative detention was imposed to protect society from the danger posed by Max K, as he has presented himself as a potential threat to the general public.
