Defense Requests Dismissal in Second Trial of Suspended Police Inspector

Lawyers representing a suspended police inspector have requested the discontinuation of new legal proceedings, arguing that their client is being tried twice for the same underlying conduct. The defense characterizes the prosecution as a 'public execution' and an unprecedented government bullying campaign against the 53-year-old officer and his family. They contend that the current bribery charges are legally connected to a previous incident involving alleged sexual harassment, for which the inspector was acquitted by the Stuttgart Regional Court in July 2023. In the first trial, the officer was accused of harassing a young female inspector at a bar. The new trial focuses on allegations that he offered to support her career advancement in exchange for a sexual relationship during a subsequent Skype call. Although the bribery accusation was not part of the initial indictment, the defense argues the events constitute a single act. The public prosecutor's office faces criticism for what the lawyers describe as a public campaign of destruction. The presumption of innocence remains applicable until a final conviction is reached in this second proceeding.