After almost four days, the judge and jury in Sermersooq Circuit Court are ready to hear the proceedings. First, Deputy Prosecutor Aprilia Jespersen explains why she wants the 42-year-old defendant in the case to be convicted of manslaughter.
– I find it concerning that a man accused of murder does not have a need to defend himself, she says, referring to the fact that the defendant has refused to speak throughout the case.
The prosecutor then moves on to the forensic evidence that incriminates the 42-year-old in the case.
– His DNA, fingerprints and handprints were found, which place him at the crime scene, the scene of the crime and items around the scene of the crime, Aprilia Jespersen points out.
The prosecutor's explanation is that on the night in question in 2024, the defendant had intended to spend the night with his sister, who lives in Block 5. When he tried in vain, he decided to sleep in the storage room.
Down here, he met the 20-year-old, who was already sleeping on a collection of mattresses. And here something must have clicked for the defendant, the prosecutor believes:
– The deceased had been subjected to strong, serious blows to the face - at least 19 blows with a stone. (...) It must have been clear to the defendant that the victim could die as a result of the violence that was committed against him, she says.
The 42-year-old is silent, just like last week, and the dark shirt has been replaced with a light one. He seems a little more nervous today than before, but is still quite calm and composed.
Other people involved
Then it is defense attorney Marie Louise Frederiksen's turn:
– Any reasonable doubt must benefit the defendant, she emphasized first.
The technical evidence does not give the court a clear answer as to who caused the deceased's death, says the defense attorney. She emphasizes that genetic material must be seen in context, as an expert witness told the court during last week's hearings.
The context here is that DNA from her client has been found, but DNA from other people has also been found, emphasizes Marie Louise Frederiksen.
And no DNA from the 42-year-old has been found on the most important object in the case – namely the stone, which in all likelihood was the murder weapon.
Marie Louise Frederiksen also believes that it raises additional doubts about her client's guilt that the police still have an additional person charged in the case.
– It says something that the police are still charging him. If they were so sure it wasn't him, why didn't they drop the charge, she asks.
If the court nevertheless finds that the 42-year-old hit the young man with the stone, it should result in a conviction for assault resulting in death, not manslaughter, she concludes.
Agree on possible measures
The prosecutor and the defense agree on one important thing: If the man is found guilty, it should result in a sentence to a psychiatric hospital, not a general measure to an institution.
– It is clear that we are dealing with a defendant who is ill and is now hospitalized in Denmark, where he is well-medicated, and is doing better, Aprilia Jespersen points out.
The man has been in the forensic psychiatric ward R3 at Aarhus University Hospital prior to the trial.
There is an additional matter in the case, as the 42-year-old is accused of beating a woman in July 2024 in Nuussuaq.
However, both witnesses called in this matter have withdrawn, which could indicate an acquittal in that part of the case. But the charges have not been dropped, so it is still up to the court to decide.
A verdict will be handed down in the case tomorrow, Tuesday, at 2:00 p.m., the judge said.
