The lawyer defending Richard K. told a Dutch appeal court that the fatal shooting of two people in Weiteveen was an impulse act rather than premeditated murder, RTV Drenthe reports. The defence asked the court to convict him of manslaughter (doodslag) instead of murder, pointing to brain damage as a factor in his behaviour.
Speaking at the hearing, his counsel said his client should not be seen as a monster, describing him instead as a hardworking father who wanted to protect his family. The lawyer also said that behind every terrible act there is always a person, according to RTV Drenthe.
The appeal has drawn attention because of what AD.nl called an unusual witness statement, which the paper said has put the case back under scrutiny and raised the question of what Richard K. wants to achieve. De Telegraaf reported the defence's position that the double killing was an impulse act.
Coverage of the hearing has focused on the legal question at the centre of the appeal: whether the killings should be treated as murder or as manslaughter. The defence's argument rests on the claim of brain damage and on the idea that the act was not planned in advance. The court has not yet given its ruling.
The next step is the court's decision on the charge, which will determine how the killings are legally classified.
