The session of the Mixed Jury Court of Appeals in Lamia proved to be significant as it deliberated on whether to acknowledge the mitigating factor of prior lawful conduct for former special guard Epaminondas Korkoneas, convicted for the December 2008 murder of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos.
As reported by lamiareport.gr, after eight hours of intense discussions, legal arguments, and unexpected developments, the court unanimously denied the request for the mitigating factor that had previously facilitated his release from prison in 2019. This ruling aligned with the Prosecutor’s recommendation, emphasizing that the principle of proportionality should govern the justice system.
The court then announced a life sentence—unanimously decided—indicating that, according to the former Penal Code, Korkoneas must serve 16 years before being eligible for parole. He had already completed 11 years prior to 2019, plus an additional 16 months due to various annulments of earlier Court of Appeals decisions that had released him.
The hearing was marked by high tensions, leading the court to call several recesses. A request for the disqualification of the panel made by Zoe Konstantopoulou was declined twice.
Konstantopoulou subsequently filed a new lawsuit against the presiding judge for alleged false certification and inaccurate minutes, escalating tensions during a clash with defense attorney Ms. Vasso Pantazi. The police were summoned to initiate formal procedures for the lawsuits, as reported by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA).
Upon arrival, the police officers stated they could not act as investigators and informed Ms. Konstantopoulou that she would need to visit the Police Directorate to proceed with the legal process. This response prompted her to threaten to file a lawsuit against the police officers as well.
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