Tensions escalated today at the Joint Jury Court of Appeal in Chania, Greece, during the trial for the murder of a 49-year-old man in Bali, Rethymnon, on November 16, 2019. A 50-year-old cattle farmer, previously convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without mitigating circumstances, is accused in the case.
According to reports from flashnews.gr, conflicts erupted between the victim's relatives and the accused in the courtroom, necessitating police intervention. The judges and jury were escorted to safety, and the trial was adjourned, allowing only five members from each family to remain present.
"Will someone answer me why my husband is dead?" pleaded the victim’s wife, visibly emotional.
The proceedings began with witness testimonies, starting with the victim’s brother. The court examined claims of harassment involving the accused's goats by hunting dogs. The victim's wife described the accused's character as "violent," contrasting it with her husband's more peaceful nature.
A significant witness, a relative of the victim, recounted their hunting trip on that fateful day. He stated that they had split from the rest of their group and were hunting in an area without dogs when he heard shouting followed by gunfire. He described how he witnessed the victim kneel and fall after being shot, while the accused reportedly yelled, "They ate me," after being struck by gunfire.
Another witness, positioned further away, corroborated that they were not hunting on the defendant’s property and asserted that the defendant had previously threatened hunters.
The defence has claimed that the victim shot first, a point that has been a focal issue throughout the trial. After the fourth witness provided testimony, the trial was adjourned, with the court scheduling the next hearings for November 11 and November 15.
Background of the Case
The tragedy began on the morning of November 16, 2019, when an argument reportedly broke out between the rancher and the hunter after the victim's hounds entered the farmer's sheepfold. Both men were residents of the same village and knew each other. The farmer claims the hunter fired first, while the victim's family argues the opposite. The farmer sustained injuries in the incident and was treated at the University Hospital of Heraklion.