- Incest jailer Fritzl admits crimes as trial opens
- 17/03/2009 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: The Rooster ( 258 articles in 2009 )
JOSEF Fritzl admitted imprisoning his daughter in an underground bunker for 24 years and forcing her to bear seven children, as his trial started in Austria yesterday.
In her opening statement, chief prosecutor Christiane Burkheiser said Fritzl had treated his daughter as a toy, describing his crimes as "inconceivable".
The 73-year-old Austrian engineer, who set up a house of horror with electronically controlled doors to prevent Elisabeth Fritzl and her children from escaping, denied slavery and a murder charge over the death of one of the incest babies.
The white-haired Fritzl, dressed in a grey suit, entered the court with a blue document folder shielding his face. He kept the folder over his face until the hearing started. Police sat on either side of him and others stood in front of the public gallery as maximum security was imposed for the week of hearings.
It was Fritzl's first appearance in public since the shocking case broke on April 26 when Elisabeth's eldest child, Kerstin, 19, who had lived her entire life underground with two brothers and her mother, fell severely ill and had to be hospitalised.
Fritzl pleaded guilty to rape, incest, sequestration and grievous assault for keeping Elisabeth captive for a quarter of a century and fathering her seven children. He faces a prison term of up to 15 years on these charges.
Fritzl contested a murder charge, which carries a life sentence. Prosecutors accuse him of failing to seek medical aid for one of the babies who died just after birth in 1996. He told police the baby was stillborn and he burnt the body in a boiler in the cellar.
"He failed to seek any help" despite his daughter's pleas, when the baby developed breathing problems, Ms Burkheiser said. "That, my dear jurors, is murder by negligence."
Fritzl also rejected a charge of slavery, which has been put for the first time in Austria as the trial started in Sankt Poelten, about 60 kilometres from Amstetten, where the family lived.
"(The defendant) showed no sign of regret or any consciousness of wrongdoing," said Ms Burkheiser in her opening statement.
"Josef Fritzl treated his daughter as his property, he made her completely dependent. He decided what kind of food was brought into the dungeon. He decided when food was brought. And food was also often scarce.
"He used her as a toy," added the prosecutor, referring to the repeated rapes.
Fritzl told the court that he was abused as a child.
"I had a very difficult childhood," Fritzl said in a trembling voice. "My mother didn't want me. She was 42 when she had me," he said.
"She simply didn't want a child and she treated me correspondingly. I was beaten."
At the age of 12, he made it clear to his mother that he would not tolerate being beaten any longer and would defend himself. "From that point on, I was Satan personified for her," he said.
Elisabeth, now 42, and her children have recorded 13 hours of videotaped testimony that was to be played in camera at the hearing.
Authorities are trying to organise a new life for her and her children under a new identity. She has returned to a special clinic for the trial.
In her opening statement, chief prosecutor Christiane Burkheiser said Fritzl had treated his daughter as a toy, describing his crimes as "inconceivable".
The 73-year-old Austrian engineer, who set up a house of horror with electronically controlled doors to prevent Elisabeth Fritzl and her children from escaping, denied slavery and a murder charge over the death of one of the incest babies.
The white-haired Fritzl, dressed in a grey suit, entered the court with a blue document folder shielding his face. He kept the folder over his face until the hearing started. Police sat on either side of him and others stood in front of the public gallery as maximum security was imposed for the week of hearings.
It was Fritzl's first appearance in public since the shocking case broke on April 26 when Elisabeth's eldest child, Kerstin, 19, who had lived her entire life underground with two brothers and her mother, fell severely ill and had to be hospitalised.
Fritzl pleaded guilty to rape, incest, sequestration and grievous assault for keeping Elisabeth captive for a quarter of a century and fathering her seven children. He faces a prison term of up to 15 years on these charges.
Fritzl contested a murder charge, which carries a life sentence. Prosecutors accuse him of failing to seek medical aid for one of the babies who died just after birth in 1996. He told police the baby was stillborn and he burnt the body in a boiler in the cellar.
"He failed to seek any help" despite his daughter's pleas, when the baby developed breathing problems, Ms Burkheiser said. "That, my dear jurors, is murder by negligence."
Fritzl also rejected a charge of slavery, which has been put for the first time in Austria as the trial started in Sankt Poelten, about 60 kilometres from Amstetten, where the family lived.
"(The defendant) showed no sign of regret or any consciousness of wrongdoing," said Ms Burkheiser in her opening statement.
"Josef Fritzl treated his daughter as his property, he made her completely dependent. He decided what kind of food was brought into the dungeon. He decided when food was brought. And food was also often scarce.
"He used her as a toy," added the prosecutor, referring to the repeated rapes.
Fritzl told the court that he was abused as a child.
"I had a very difficult childhood," Fritzl said in a trembling voice. "My mother didn't want me. She was 42 when she had me," he said.
"She simply didn't want a child and she treated me correspondingly. I was beaten."
At the age of 12, he made it clear to his mother that he would not tolerate being beaten any longer and would defend himself. "From that point on, I was Satan personified for her," he said.
Elisabeth, now 42, and her children have recorded 13 hours of videotaped testimony that was to be played in camera at the hearing.
Authorities are trying to organise a new life for her and her children under a new identity. She has returned to a special clinic for the trial.
Source: https://www.theage.com.au/world/incest-jailer-fritzl-admits-crimes-as-trial-opens-20090316-9024.html?page=-1
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