published1. October 2024, 08:11
Zurich District CourtBandit (20) drags police officers to court for judo throw
A 20-year-old serial robber suffered serious injuries during his arrest. The officers were acquitted.
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Three police officers from the Zurich City Police had to answer in court for abuse of office and causing bodily harm.
He was accused of using excessive force during the arrest of a serial robber in the summer of 2020.
The court acquitted the police officers as the private prosecutor’s statements were considered contradictory and unconvincing.
On Monday, an unusual hearing took place at the Zurich District Court: three police officers from the Zurich City Police had to answer for abuse of office and bodily harm. Before him was a convicted serial robber who had worked as a private prosecutor. The allegation was that officers used disproportionate force to arrest the then-20-year-old in the summer of 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.
The story began with a series of robberies at gas stations in Zurich and the Dietikon area tamidia newspaper Report. The criminal, at the time a 20-year-old Swiss man, robbed five gas stations armed with a balaclava and a 27 centimeter long knife and stole about 10,000 francs in total. During the sixth robbery in Zurich’s Altstetten district, they foiled the attempt after customers entered the store.
Elbow joint dislocation and muscle tear
Shortly afterward the man was arrested by three civilian investigators of the city police. The situation escalated when they found a balaclava and a knife in his sports bag. However, the private plaintiff claimed in the court that he was cooperating from the beginning and suddenly he was razed to the ground. He suffered injuries.
According to the prosecution, the 20-year-old man fell face down on the asphalt. One of the police officers reportedly jumped on his arm while the man was screaming and crying in pain. The injured man was taken to the hospital about five hours later, where he was diagnosed with a dislocated elbow joint and muscle tear.
Judo techniques applied
However, police said the man had resisted violently. A scuffle broke out. One officer said he used judo techniques to break the defendant’s resistance. However, this was not a deliberate jump by the person, but an accident.
The court ultimately followed the police officers’ representations, Tamedia newspapers continued. The statements of the private plaintiffs were vague and unconvincing. Furthermore, the private plaintiff changed his representation during the trial. Therefore the court acquitted all three police officers. The judge emphasized that despite similar wording – including identical spelling errors – in the officers’ reports, there was no evidence of collusion. Police officers described the situation in detail and independently.
It is currently unclear whether the private plaintiff will appeal. After the acquittal, all three police officers are relieved and now it is expected that the decision will be final.
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