The defendant says that he intentionally gave cardiac arrests to victims because he enjoyed the feeling of bringing them back. Niels Hoegel, a former nurse…
The defendant says that he intentionally gave cardiac arrests to victims because he enjoyed the feeling of bringing them back.
Niels Hoegel, a former nurse in Germany, admits that he killed more than 100 patients at the hospitals where he had worked, according to the New York Post. Already serving a life sentence as the result of a trial in 2015, Hoegel is currently facing a new trial for his part in the deaths of the 100 patients in Delmenhorst and Oldenburg hospitals — where he worked between 1999 and 2005.
When Judge Sebastian Buehrmann outlined the charges against Hoegel and asked if they were correct, Hoegel is quoted as saying “Yes,” adding, “What I have admitted took place,” per Fox News .
At the beginning of the proceedings, the judge asked the court to stand for a minute of silence for the victims. “All of their relatives deserve that their memory be honored,” whether Hoegel had a hand in their passing or not. “We will make every effort to seek the truth.”
A former nurse serving a life sentence for murder went on trial Tuesday on charges he killed a further 100 patients at two hospitals in Germany.
Niels Hoegel told a court in Oldenburg that the charges against him were largely accurate, dpa reported https://t.co/IS97QYD6Dw
— Frank Jordans (@wirereporter) October 30,2018
Germany does not allow consecutive sentences, so another 100 murder convictions would not be likely to make his life sentence worse than it already is. However, in the German legal system, people serving life sentences are generally eligible for parole after 15 years served. According to Christian Marbach, representing the relatives of the deceased, the additional convictions could make it more difficult for Hoegel to get parole.
“We have fought for four years for this trial and expect Hoegel to be convicted of another 100 killings. The aim is for Hoegel to stay in custody as long as possible.”
Due to high public interest and the large number of victims involved in the trial, it is being held in a conference center large enough to accommodate the number of co-plaintiffs and press crews. With such a large number of people involved, the unusual trial is scheduled to run through May of 2019.
Authorities are also investigating criminal charges for other staff members at the two hospitals where the murders took place.
