Current:Home > BackTrial starts in Amsterdam for 9 suspects in the 2021 slaying of a Dutch investigative journalist-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Trial starts in Amsterdam for 9 suspects in the 2021 slaying of a Dutch investigative journalist
View Date:2024-12-23 23:50:15
AMSTERDAM (AP) — A long-delayed trial opened Tuesday of nine men accused of involvement in the fatal 2021 shooting on a downtown Amsterdam street of prominent Dutch investigative reporter Peter R. de Vries.
Among the suspects is Delano G., who is accused of gunning down De Vries in broad daylight on July 6, 2021. Under Dutch privacy law, suspects are identified only by their first name and the first initial of their family name.
De Vries, a popular reporter and television presenter, died nine days later of his injuries, at age 64.
The brazen slaying sent shock waves through the Netherlands and triggered an outpouring of grief. Dutch King Willem-Alexander called it “an attack on journalism, the cornerstone of our constitutional state and therefore also an attack on the rule of law.”
De Vries had been an adviser and confidant for a protected witness in the trial of the alleged leader and other members of a crime gang that police described as an “oiled killing machine.” Verdicts are expected next month in that case.
The trial opened in a packed, heavily guarded courtroom on the edge of Amsterdam, with armed police in body armor and ski masks patrolling the streets outside as cars carrying the suspects swept into the court’s underground parking lot.
Some of the defendants denied any involvement in the assassination while others said they were asserting their right to remain silent.
The alleged shooter was arrested less than an hour after the attack, along with a Polish national identified as Kamil E. who was the alleged getaway driver. Prosecutors told judges at Amsterdam District Court that the weapon used to shoot De Vries was found in their car.
The two suspects went on trial in 2022 and prosecutors demanded life sentences. However, the court never delivered verdicts in the trial because prosecutors introduced new evidence late in the case, following a string of arrests.
The pair are now on trial along with seven other suspects arrested in the weeks and months after the slaying, all accused of involvement in organizing the hit on De Vries.
The trial is scheduled to run until the end of February. Verdicts will likely be announced weeks later.
veryGood! (1522)
Related
- Wildfire map: Thousands of acres burn near New Jersey-New York border; 1 firefighter dead
- Olivia Culpo Celebrates Christian McCaffrey's NFL Comeback Alongside Mother-in-Law
- Mike Tyson emerges as heavyweight champ among product pitchmen before Jake Paul fight
- It's cozy gaming season! Video game updates you may have missed, including Stardew Valley
- Drone footage captures scope of damage, destruction from deadly Louisville explosion
- Chicago Bears will ruin Caleb Williams if they're not careful | Opinion
- 'Squid Game' creator lost '8 or 9' teeth making Season 1, explains Season 2 twist
- John Robinson, successful football coach at USC and with the LA Rams, has died at 89
- Judge set to rule on whether to scrap Trump’s conviction in hush money case
- Kid Rock tells fellow Trump supporters 'most of our left-leaning friends are good people'
Ranking
- Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn's iconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Mixed Use
- West Virginia governor-elect Morrisey to be sworn in mid-January
- Volkswagen, Mazda, Honda, BMW, Porsche among 304k vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here
- USMNT Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal Leg 1 vs. Jamaica: Live stream and TV, rosters
- NFL Week 10 winners, losers: Cowboys' season can no longer be saved
- Wisconsin authorities believe kayaker staged his disappearance and fled to Europe
- Horoscopes Today, November 10, 2024
Recommendation
-
Lions find way to win, Bears in tough spot: Best (and worst) from NFL Week 10
-
Where you retire could affect your tax bill. Here's how.
-
Beyoncé nominated for album of the year at Grammys — again. Will she finally win?
-
Veterans Day restaurant deals 2024: More than 80 discounts, including free meals
-
AIT Community Introduce
-
Biden EPA to charge first-ever ‘methane fee’ for drilling waste by oil and gas companies
-
Advocates Expect Maryland to Drive Climate Action When Trump Returns to Washington
-
Former NFL coach Jack Del Rio charged with operating vehicle while intoxicated