In the trial concerning a traffic offence committed by Saxony's Minister of Culture Conrad Clemens (CDU), the defense has requested that the proceedings be discontinued. Lawyer Lukas Schefer claimed "numerous procedural errors". "These proceedings leave observers familiar with the case file speechless," he said at the start of the hearing. The numerous inconsistencies cast doubt on the necessary impartiality of the presiding judge. Judge Alex Theile initially postponed the motion.
Accusation: illegal car racing and license plate misuse
The case turned from a fine procedure into a criminal procedure because the court discovered from a review of the traffic register that Clemens had already had several speeding convictions. He is therefore now accused of illegal motor vehicle racing. Such an accusation is also possible if the person concerned was driving alone.
Clemens is also alleged to have been guilty of license plate misuse. The reason: at the time, Clemens was driving with a so-called camouflage license plate that was registered to the Saxon State Chancellery. In the opinion of the public prosecutor's office, this made it considerably more difficult to identify the driver.
Clemens' lawyer justified his application for discontinuation by arguing, among other things, that the legal notice, which was intended to bring about the transition from a fine to criminal proceedings, is ineffective and therefore irrelevant, as Clemens' immunity was only lifted afterwards.
The court has scheduled four trial days and intends to hear eight witnesses as well as an expert witness.
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