Fritzl Trial Media Frenzy
Published On: March 17, 2009
The trial begins. From CNN:
One of Elisabeth Fritzl’s brothers, Harald, also testified by video, a court spokesman said. The media and public have been barred from the courtroom for sensitive parts of the trial.
Fritzl has pleaded guilty to incest and other charges, but denied murder and enslavement.
He pleaded “partly guilty” — an option in Austrian court — to multiple charges of raping his daughter, Franz Cutka, a spokesman for the court in Landesgericht St. Poelten, said. A verdict is expected on Thursday, Cutka said.
Elisabeth testified on an 11-hour videotape. Portions of the tape were played Monday, and Fritzl was asked about it. The remainder of the tape was played Tuesday, officials said.
Authorities have said Elisabeth and her children were given new identities and are in a secret location.
Will there ever be justice for this family? It doesn’t seem possibleto me that Elisabeth Fritzl and her six surviving children can ever lead normal lives. However, their new found freedom may send them on their way to integration and reintegration into society especially with the assumption that Josef Fritzl will be locked away for many years to come. It’s daunting, though, to know that his plea deal may include incarceration in a resort-like prison where the inmates are given the luxury of daily activities such as classes, tennis and other recreational sports.
