This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7947508.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Austria's Fritzl trial to resume | Austria's Fritzl trial to resume |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The trial of Josef Fritzl, the Austrian man charged with crimes against the children he kept and abused for years in a cellar, is to resume in Vienna. | The trial of Josef Fritzl, the Austrian man charged with crimes against the children he kept and abused for years in a cellar, is to resume in Vienna. |
| Mr Fritzl, has pleaded guilty to incest and "partially" guilty to rape but not guilty to murder or enslavement. | Mr Fritzl, has pleaded guilty to incest and "partially" guilty to rape but not guilty to murder or enslavement. |
| At the start of his trial on Monday, the 73-year old faced questions over taped testimony by his daughter. | At the start of his trial on Monday, the 73-year old faced questions over taped testimony by his daughter. |
| One of the most harrowing trials in Austria's history is being held behind closed doors and may be over in days. | One of the most harrowing trials in Austria's history is being held behind closed doors and may be over in days. |
| Mr Fritzl is alleged in 1984 to have lured his daughter into a cellar with windowless soundproofed chambers beneath their house, to have imprisoned her there and raped her repeatedly over a number of years. | Mr Fritzl is alleged in 1984 to have lured his daughter into a cellar with windowless soundproofed chambers beneath their house, to have imprisoned her there and raped her repeatedly over a number of years. |
| Hard to prove? | Hard to prove? |
| Addressing media at the end of the first day of proceedings in the town of St Poelten, court spokesman Franz Cutka said the trial would resume at 0900 on Tuesday (0800 GMT). FRITZL CHARGES AND PLEAS Murder - not guilty pleaEnslavement - not guilty pleaDeprivation of liberty - guilty pleaRape - partially guilty plea*Incest - guilty pleaCoercion - guilty plea *Understood to mean he is contesting the wording of the charges In pictures: Josef Fritzl trialTimeline: Austrian cellar caseProfile: Josef Fritzl | Addressing media at the end of the first day of proceedings in the town of St Poelten, court spokesman Franz Cutka said the trial would resume at 0900 on Tuesday (0800 GMT). FRITZL CHARGES AND PLEAS Murder - not guilty pleaEnslavement - not guilty pleaDeprivation of liberty - guilty pleaRape - partially guilty plea*Incest - guilty pleaCoercion - guilty plea *Understood to mean he is contesting the wording of the charges In pictures: Josef Fritzl trialTimeline: Austrian cellar caseProfile: Josef Fritzl |
| On the opening day, the court began viewing 11 hours of video, with the rest of the material to be shown in segments during the week. | On the opening day, the court began viewing 11 hours of video, with the rest of the material to be shown in segments during the week. |
| The daughter and three of her seven children fathered by Mr Fritzl were kept captive in the cellar until the case came to light in April last year, when one of the children became seriously ill and was taken to hospital. | |
| He is accused of murdering one of the newborn twin boys his daughter gave birth to in 1996, having failed to arrange medical care for the ailing infant. | He is accused of murdering one of the newborn twin boys his daughter gave birth to in 1996, having failed to arrange medical care for the ailing infant. |
| Some legal experts have said it may be hard to prove the murder charge but the charge of enslavement carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, and some of the other charges carry a sentence of up to 15 years. | Some legal experts have said it may be hard to prove the murder charge but the charge of enslavement carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, and some of the other charges carry a sentence of up to 15 years. |
| 'Normal behaviour' | 'Normal behaviour' |
| Mr Cutka said the first day's proceedings had included "an interrogation of the accused", and the video recording by Mr Fritzl's daughter, about which he was then questioned. | Mr Cutka said the first day's proceedings had included "an interrogation of the accused", and the video recording by Mr Fritzl's daughter, about which he was then questioned. |
| But he stressed that due to the sensitivity of the trial, no details of the proceedings could be released.Advertisement | But he stressed that due to the sensitivity of the trial, no details of the proceedings could be released.Advertisement |
| Josef Fritzl arrives at court for his trial | Josef Fritzl arrives at court for his trial |
| In her opening statement, prosecutor Christiane Burkheiser said Mr Fritzl had shown "no sign of regret or any consciousness of wrongdoing". | In her opening statement, prosecutor Christiane Burkheiser said Mr Fritzl had shown "no sign of regret or any consciousness of wrongdoing". |
| She alleged that he had not spoken to his daughter for the first years of her captivity, descending to the cellar only to rape her before returning upstairs. | She alleged that he had not spoken to his daughter for the first years of her captivity, descending to the cellar only to rape her before returning upstairs. |
| Mr Fritzl, said the prosecutor, treated his daughter like his own property, sometimes raping her in front of their children in the cellar. | Mr Fritzl, said the prosecutor, treated his daughter like his own property, sometimes raping her in front of their children in the cellar. |
| Mr Mayer argued his client was "a human being not a monster" and he appealed to jurors to be objective. | Mr Mayer argued his client was "a human being not a monster" and he appealed to jurors to be objective. |
| The defendant himself, his voice almost inaudible, talked to the judge about his childhood, saying he had been beaten by his mother. | The defendant himself, his voice almost inaudible, talked to the judge about his childhood, saying he had been beaten by his mother. |
| Asked if he had any friends, he simply replied "No". | Asked if he had any friends, he simply replied "No". |