BERLIN (AP) – Two white men were acquitted Friday of the racially motivated beating of an Ethiopian-born engineer in a case that raised fears of xenophobic attacks before last year’s soccer World Cup, which turned out to be unwarranted.
The attack on Ermyas Mulugeta in Potsdam, outside Berlin, left the man in a coma for several weeks.
Mulugeta had been calling his wife at the time of the assault on April 16, 2006, and his attackers were recorded on her voicemail taunting him with racial epithets and other insults.
But defendants Bjoern Liebscher and Thomas Michaelis both denied involvement in the attack and said they were not at the scene. Mulugeta himself said he could not remember the attack.
In addition, the Potsdam state court was confronted with contradictory witness testimony and judges said they ruled for acquittal because of lack of evidence to prove the two were responsible for the assault.
8 thoughts on “Two acquitted of racially motivated attack on Ethiopian-born engineer in Berlin”
Every time I read something like this happening in Europe, I say “Thank GOD I live in America”. Can you imagine, what would happen, if this aquital was in USA? There would be a riot on the streets. Remember Mulugeta Siraw of Oregon? He was killed by KKK, and all of his killers ended up behind bars until the rest of their lives, and his family was rewarded 12million dollars at the expense of KKK. As a result, the Oregon KKK chapter got bankrupted and was shut down.Remember Rodney King? Remember Amadou Dialo of New York? They received justice, because the people and the media stood with them, and this kinds of instances are becoming so rare, we don’t even hear them anymore. What do you expect from phony European liberals, who are racist to their bones, anyway? Especially, Germans, who turned the whole world upside down twice and fried 6 million Jews in their quest to be racially superior? God Bless the USA!!
amin!!! Sr.
Amin God Bless the USA!!!
Selam Le Hulachene! Selam Didi and the Others so called BLESS THE USA fans.I live in Germany.What Happend to Ermyas is the worst Thing that happend and we are still Upset and Angry of the whole Babylone system.But what do you mean God bless american–do you think and mean America is the Safeat place and not Racial? It is absolutly wrong.i am not protecting the F—-
Why did not you Diaspora Ethiopians also protest the court virdict saying it is “Kangaroo court”?
Have you learnt problems exist even in developed country?
For you everything is negative,nothing positive.
Peace and Unity to Ethiopia,down with fanatism!!!!
Well said, Didi. GOD bless America —> like home for everyone next to their home. I lived in Germany before moving to the US. Europe is like “Hager Bata” enji it is not the place to live. I am sorry for the poor Ethiopian beaten and left without justice.
There is no place like home, if you can not live at your home , there is no foreign place like America !!!!! No one denies that !!! Nothing is perfect, there is always room for improvements , but still I salute the US.
Its sad that the ethiopian man has been beaten by those neo-natzi morons but unfortunately he was at the wrong place at the wrong time,it doesnt matter which country we live in racism is every where.He might be better of with having a good lawyer instaed of those public defender lawyers dont do much help.My heart goes out to mulugeta and his family.
GOD bless Germany!! I live in Germany for the last 20 years and I never had any problem so far. I am free and happy.
I like my job and enjoy my life here.
I do visit USA once in a while because my sister lives there and I can tell you clearly, I never wanted to live in the USA. That country is good only for those who came straight from Africa or any third world country. People who are already in the system in Europe can’t cope with the way of life you people live in the USA. Coming from Europe to the US is being demoted from 1st class life to 3rd class life. No thank you USA – you are not for me.
Samuel