A Greek court this week convicted a policeman of murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment for the shooting of a 15-year-old whose death sparked massive riots in Athens two years ago.
A panel of judges and jurors at a court in the tiny remote mountain town of Amfissa found the 38-year-old police officer, Epaminodas Korkoneas, guilty of intentionally shooting Alexandros Grigoropoulos on December 6, 2008 in central Athens.
A second officer, 32-year-old Vassileos Saraltiotis, was convicted of complicity and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The policemen claim the teenager died from a ricocheting bullet when the officers fired a warning shot after they came under attack from the youths during a night patrol in Exarchia.
The lawyer for the two officers said they would both appeal the sentences.
The outcome is a source of grim satisfaction for the family of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, who had fully expected Korkoneas to be convicted of murder.
Alexandros’ mother, Gina Tsakilian, who runs a jewellery store in Athens, was highly distressed by attempts by Korkoneas’ defence team to paint her son as a trouble maker and the verdict helps to restore his memory.
“Justice has been done,” a spokesman for Ms Tsakilian said. “Of course, Alexandros is not coming back, but at least what is important for the family is that his good name has been restored.”
Alexis Kouyias, the lawyer for Korkoneas, criticized the procedures used during the eight-month trial, including the failure to examine testimony from a key witness. He said Korkoneas would appeal, exercising his automatic right under Greek law.
“I am confident that the court decisions to follow will be different to this one,” he said.
The teenager’s death sparked massive riots in cities across the country, lasting two weeks and causing extensive damage to state buildings, businesses and cars.
The Greek capital has since been beset by violent protests and multiple bombings against police stations, banks and state agencies by leftist and anarchist groups.
The violence has left one policeman dead and seven wounded, several seriously.
Source: Deutsche Press, BBC, AP
