Former Nazi SS Trooper, 88, asks for hearing aid
The murder trial of a former Nazi SS trooper was postponed yesterday because the hard-of-hearing defendant was struggling to follow proceedings.
Heinrich Boere, 88, is on trial in the town of Aachen, accused of killing three civilians in German-occupied Netherlands during World War II.
Presiding judge Gerd Nohl said the case would only continue once Boere was equipped with a hearing aid, in response to a request by his lawyers.
The defense was criticised for trying to delay the trial, after Boere's hearing problems cropped up unexpectedly. Asked the previous day whether he had been able to hear the charges read against him, Boere had answered, "No."
Boere is sixth on a list of the 10 most wanted Nazi war criminals issued by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Jerusalem.
Comment number 1.
At 12th Nov 2009, Steve - Iver wrote:Hmmm - could it be stalling tactics? Who knows?
But that said, the point of a court is to assess guilt and pass sentence, so by assumption, the accused is just that - accused, not yet proven to be guilty.
Asking for a hearing aid is his right, whether he be proven guilty or not, he has a right to hear his accusers.
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