“I don’t understand what I did. I still don’t understand,” said 56-year-old Hans H., former Schoonebeker, about the fatal stabbing on October 29 in Hardenberg. H. killed his wife, the 53-year-old Tonnie, with knife stabs. This happened for childcare where the woman worked.
H. said those words on Thursday during the third introductory session. It was the first time that H. appeared in court in his case. He found it difficult to come, he said. The previous session in April told his lawyer Niels Dorrestein that H. was suffering from media attention and therefore did not come.
His four daughters have not yet skipped a session. H. looked at them volatile when he came in. He was also not talkative either. His answers were short and to the point. He wanted to say that he could not remember much of the incident in October. “What flashes, nothing more,” he said about this.
H. was examined by a psychiatrist and a psychologist. The final report of that research is expected at the end of this month. Dorrestein is eagerly looking forward to that report, he said. H. swallowed heavy painkillers for a abdominal wall break before the event in Hardenberg. According to H. he used a lot of pain relief.
According to the suspect, he discussed the use of the medication with behavioral experts. Dorrestein hopes to read in the report whether the experts say something about the possible influence of the medication. He wants to know whether further research is needed into the effect of this medication on the brain and behavior. And whether this worked on at the time of the act.
In advance, the lawyer has already requested the information from various pharmacies, how many pills were provided to H. last year. The public prosecutor warned that a new investigation, if the defense requests that, will take a lot of time. That could jeopardize the date of the substantive treatment on 2 October, she said.
H. had nothing else to report. He was returned to his cell without a greeting to his family. He is expected to appear again at the next session in October.