&w=3840&q=100)
German doctor who ‘killed his patients, set their homes on fire' goes on trial for 15 murders
The Regional Courtroom in Berlin, Germany, on Monday. Source: AFP
A 40-year-old doctor, identified only as Johannes M. due to German privacy laws, went on trial in Berlin on Monday (July 14) for the murder of 15 palliative care patients.
The prosecutor's office charged him with 15 counts of premeditated murder driven by 'base motives,' seeking a life sentence, a permanent ban from practising medicine, and preventive detention.
If found guilty of 'particularly severe guilt,' he would not be eligible for release after 15 years, as is typical in Germany.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Allegations against doctor
The doctor, part of a nursing service's end-of-life care team, is accused of killing patients aged 25 to 94 between September 2021 and July 2024 by administering a lethal mix of anaesthetic and muscle relaxant without their consent.
This drug cocktail allegedly caused respiratory failure and death within minutes.
Most victims died in their homes. Prosecutors also allege he attempted to cover up the murders by setting fires at the victims' residences.
He has been in custody since August 6.
One case involves a 56-year-old woman who died in September 2021. The doctor allegedly gave her the lethal drugs without medical necessity, then made a false emergency call claiming she needed resuscitation. Although rescue workers revived her and took her to a hospital, the doctor reportedly contacted one of her daughters, apologising for violating the woman's living will against life-prolonging measures.
With the daughters' consent, artificial respiration was stopped, and she died on September 8.
Motive
The motive remains unclear, as the seriously ill victims were not facing imminent death.
Johannes M. refused a pre-trial psychiatric interview, so an expert will assess his behaviour in court.
His lawyer, Christoph Stoll, said he will not yet make a statement.
The trial, with 35 scheduled dates until January 2026, includes 13 relatives as co-plaintiffs and up to 150 witnesses.
Parallel investigations into dozens of other suspected deaths continue, with 395 cases reviewed by a special homicide team.
Initial suspicion was confirmed in 95 cases, with 75 still under investigation, including the death of the doctor's cancer-stricken mother-in-law.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Five exhumations are planned. This case echoes a 2019 conviction of a German nurse sentenced to life for murdering 87 patients.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
What's the real meaning behind crocodile tears? You might be surprised
The phrase 'crocodile tears' originates from the observation that crocodiles appear to cry while eating. However, these tears are not due to sadness. They are a result of air pressure on tear glands during jaw movement. Thus, the term now describes insincere displays of emotion. It is used to call out fake sadness or dishonesty. You've probably heard someone say 'stop crying crocodile tears'—but have you ever stopped to wonder what that even means? No, crocodiles aren't secretly emotional wrecks mourning over their meals. The phrase 'crocodile tears' has a wild origin rooted in science, not sentiment. And once you get the biology behind it, it kind of makes perfect sense why we use it to call out fake sadness. Let's dive into the real story—and the real meaning—behind crocodile tears. Crocodile tears meaning : Why crocodiles cry while eating Crocodiles do shed tears when they eat—but not for the reasons you'd think. It's not about guilt, grief, or remorse (they're definitely not that deep). Instead, the tears come from a purely physical process. When a crocodile chomps down on its prey, there's a lot of movement happening in its jaw and throat. That movement forces air through its sinuses, which in turn triggers its tear glands. The result? Tears start flowing—completely involuntarily. So the animal isn't sad. It's just physics. The tears are a byproduct of sinus pressure while eating, not a sign of emotion. Why the phrase 'crocodile tears' means fake sadness Because these tears are completely disconnected from real emotion, people started using the term 'crocodile tears' to describe phony or exaggerated expressions of sadness. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo Basically, if someone's putting on a show of being upset when they clearly aren't, they're said to be crying crocodile tears. It's often used in situations where someone pretends to care—maybe during an apology, in politics, or when they're trying to manipulate others emotionally. The term has become shorthand for calling out emotional dishonesty. So next time you hear the phrase 'crocodile tears', you'll know it's got nothing to do with actual sorrow—and everything to do with how those ancient reptiles eat. The science is cool, the metaphor is spot-on, and the phrase is your new favourite way to call out fakers. Also read| Heimscheißer meaning: The German word for people who can't poop anywhere but home
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
a day ago
- First Post
2 Indians shot dead in Niger, third kidnapped by armed group; embassy seeks safe release
The Indian embassy in Niger said it was coordinating with local authorities to repatriate the bodies of the deceased and secure the safe release of the abducted individual. read more Two Indian nationals were killed and one abducted by gunmen in Niger's Dosso region. Source: AFP Gunmen in Niger's southwest Dosso region killed at least two Indian nationals and kidnapped a third in a violent attack, Indian authorities reported, marking the latest assault on foreigners in the conflict-ravaged country.2 The Indian Embassy in Niger posted on X Friday (July 18) that the attack took place on Tuesday. The embassy is coordinating with local authorities to repatriate the bodies of the deceased and secure the safe release of the abducted individual. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'In a heinous terror attack on 15 July in Niger's Dosso region, two Indian nationals tragically lost their lives and one was abducted. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,' the embassy wrote. 'Mission in Niamey is in touch with local authorities to repatriate mortal remains and ensure safe release of the abducted Indian. All Indians in Niger are advised to remain vigilant.' In a heinous terror attack on 15 July in Niger's Dosso region, two Indian nationals tragically lost their lives and one was abducted. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Mission in Niamey is in touch with local authorities to repatriate mortal remains and ensure… — India in Niger (@IndiainNiger) July 18, 2025 According to local media in Niger, the victims were workers at a construction site in Dosso, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) from the capital, Niamey. Foreigners have increasingly become targets of armed groups in Niger. This year alone, several abductions have occurred, including an Austrian woman who has worked as an aid worker in Niger for over 20 years, a Swiss woman taken from her home in April, and five Indian workers also kidnapped in April, reported Associated Press (AP). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Niger has been grappling with a jihadist insurgency tied to al-Qaida and the Islamic State for years, a crisis that analysts say has intensified since the military overthrew the government in July 2023, struggling to quell violence in key areas. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project reported that June was one of Niger's deadliest months on record, with Islamic State-backed fighters launching a major offensive in the Tillaberi and Dosso regions, killing over 100 civilians in a resurgence of mass atrocities in rural communities.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Bolsonaro ‘witch-hunt' sparks US retaliation, judge who ordered ankle monitor faces visa ban
The United States on Friday revoked the visa of Brazilian Supreme Federal Court judge Justice Alexandre de Moraes, hours after he imposed new restrictions on former Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro over allegations of plotting a coup to overturn the results of a 2022 election he lost. Moraes imposed strict measures on Bolsonaro — including requiring him to wear an electronic ankle monitor, remain at home during nighttime hours and refrain from using social media. In a statement as reported by AFP, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, 'Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes's political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro created a persecution and censorship complex so sweeping that it not only violates basic rights of Brazilians, but also extends beyond Brazil's shores to target Americans.' Reacting strongly to the decision to impose visa bans, a senior Brazilian judicial official on Friday said the country's judiciary 'will not be intimidated' by what he described as an arbitrary move. In an escalation of tensions between US President Donald Trump and the government of Latin America's largest economy, visa bans were a response to the Supreme Court's decision to issue search warrants and restraining orders targeting Trump ally Bolsonaro. Solicitor General Jorge Messias, the top judicial official for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's executive branch, said in a statement posted on X that Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet was also targeted by the ban. 'Rest assured that no improper manoeuvre or sordid conspiratorial act will intimidate our country's judiciary in the independent and dignified exercise of its task,' he added. According to Reuters, Messias said the Brazilian officials were subject to 'arbitrary acts of visa revocation by a foreign nation on account of their fulfilment of their legitimate institutional responsibilities in accordance with constitutional terms.' In addition to Moraes, seven other justices from Brazil's 11-member Supreme Court were also hit by the US visa restrictions, government institutional relations minister Gleisi Hoffmann said on Friday. They include justices Luís Roberto Barroso, Dias Toffoli, Cristiano Zanin, Flávio Dino, Cármen Lúcia, Edson Fachin, and Gilmar Mendes. Trump has criticised the proceedings against Bolsonaro as a 'witch-hunt', a term he has used to describe his own treatment by political opponents, and has called for the charges to be dropped. In a letter last week, he announced a 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian goods starting August 1, opening the message with criticism of the trial. Bolsonaro is on trial before Brazil's Supreme Court on charges of plotting a coup to stop Lula from taking office in January 2023. Bolsonaro has denied that he led an attempt to overthrow the government but has acknowledged taking part in meetings aimed at reversing the election's outcome.
