More than a year and a half after a fatal German police operation in the centre of Mannheim, the trial of the two officers involved began on Friday.
The two officers, aged 26 and 27, are on trial at a Mannheim regional court for allegedly causing the death of a mentally ill man in May 2022 in the south-western city.
The 47-year-old collapsed during a violent confrontation with police on a market square and died in hospital. The incident ignited debate about police tactics after videos shared online showed the man, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, being beaten.
The older defendant, who has been suspended from his job, is facing charges of assault in the line of duty resulting in death. His colleague is accused of involuntary manslaughter by omission.
The man's death was "foreseeable and avoidable," said the public prosecutor at the start of the trial.
In a brief statement, the 27-year-old said he had been protecting himself against attacks by the ill and aggressive man during the operation. In addition, he said he could not have foreseen the fatal health complications and had been distracted by rowdy onlookers.
"If I did something wrong, I want to take responsibility for it," he continued, saying he regretted the man's death.
Beyond the legal questions, the case has sparked discussions in Germany about whether police officers receive adequate training in how to deal with people in states of mental distress.
A total of eight hearing days have been scheduled for the trial, which is expected to wrap up next month.
