Tuesday, February 27, 2001

By Eric B. Pilgrim
Stars and Stripes

DARMSTADT, Germany — Lawyers for three U.S. teens convicted of first-degree murder for throwing rocks from a bridge that killed two German motorists in February 2000 began the formal appeal process.

One year after the incident, lawyers for 18-year-olds Jesse McGriff and Deo Bissessar and 15-year-old James Wise hope to knock a year off the teens’ sentences when the case reaches the Hessen Supreme Court later this year.

"We are very satisfied with the guilty ruling; the kids have always admitted they threw the rocks," said Dr. Hans Endres, attorney for Bissessar. "We just don’t agree with the sentence. We don’t think these kids ever intended to kill anybody."

The teens have each served nearly a year on the 8½, 8 and 7 year sentences handed down to each respectively by the district court on Dec. 22. The sentence includes time served since their arrest.

Under the current ruling, McGriff and Bissessar would be 26, Wise 21, upon release from prison. If the appeal is won, Wise could be free at 17, McGriff and Bissessar at around 25.

According to German law, the teens can be released for good behavior after serving half of their sentences.

The attorneys admit their clients were happy not to get the maximum 10 years requested by the prosecution.

"(McGriff) was very afraid during the trial, as I was, that we would get 10 years, so I myself am very satisfied," said Bernd Kroner, attorney for McGriff. "He was delighted after the sentence, just relieved it was over."

The appeal asks for a lesser murder charge, second-degree murder, which carries a lesser sentence. The judges charged the teens with first-degree murder, which suggests they dropped the rocks on motorists Feb. 27, 2000 with the malicious intent to kill people.

Hermann Leuer, who represents the family of Sandra Ottmann, one of two women killed by the boys, said the judges’ decision Dec. 22 was fair, and he is confident it won’t be overturned.

Endres said the chances of winning the appeal and a getting a new trial are not good because, he said, the judges did a very good job in their written decision. But there was still the chance.

Back to February's stories
Page Two news roundup
Stories from January, 2001
Stories from December, 2000
Stories from November, 2000
Stories from October, 2000
Stories from August and September, 2000
Stories from June and July, 2000
Home