The appeals trial began Tuesday afternoon. The man is accused of abducting and killing his 25 year old ex-girlfriend before burning her body in her car across the border in nearby France and received life in prison.
He was the first to speak on Tuesday. Asked by the judge why he had appealed the judgment, he said, “I am innocent and a victim of the system.” He had placed a fat folder between himself and the judge, but did not remove his coat to defend himself.
He listed all the places he had been on the evening and night Ana Lopes was killed, without directly addressing the judge’s questions. Finally, she interruped him, stating they were waiting for explanations, not a reconstruction of the night.
The roll of adhesive tape found near the burnt out car was also a topic of discussion. It is one of the most incriminating pieces of evidence, as it had DNA identified as either the accused’s or of someone from his family. Asked about this detail, the accused said it was not up to him to explain this, and he did not know where the roll came from. Under the judge’s silent gaze, he ended up handing over to his lawyer.
During his oral argument, Gennaro Pietropaolo expounded the points against his client’s guilt, spending around two hours alone on the fact that the DNA on the adhesive roll could not be attributed to a single person, and that the DNA of two more people was identified on it. Other subjects included the footprints found near the car, which were size 44/45 when the defendant wears a 42, and the question of how he could make the 20km home so fast without a car and without being seen or caught on a camera. He also questioned the interpretation of the movement patterns of the accused’s mobile phone.
The trial will continue on Friday morning.
RTL-Artikel (12.01.21): Mordfall Ana Lopes: Geriicht huet Ex-Frënd zu liewenslaangem Prisong veruerteelt
RTL-Artikel (9.11.21): Stater Geriicht: Optakt vum Appell-Prozess ronderëm Mord-Affär Ana Lopes
