Did he want to pull the trigger?

37-year-old aimed a crossbow at a friend

At the beginning of December, a man from Lower Austria gave three friends a good scare: After an argument, he came back to the pub armed with a crossbow - the laser pointer of the aiming device pointed at the head of one of the men. The public prosecutor's office considers the offense of attempted murder to have been committed. For defense lawyer Philipp Winkler, the essential question now is: "Did he want to pull the trigger or not?"

The 37-year-old sits calmly in the prosecutor's chair, talking calmly about his career to date: "I grew up in a well-protected environment." He graduated from grammar school - "Then I spent two years at the law school. After that, I ended up in a bank and I've been there for 15 years." But what has been with him for a long time: "I have bipolar disorder. So, I'm manic-depressive."

Medication and alcohol caused memory lapses
That is why he is now in Korneuburg provincial court (Lower Austria). Under the influence of his personality disorder, the prescribed medication and too much alcohol, he allegedly tried to kill someone on December 6, 2023. "Let me start by saying that the victim got off lightly," the public prosecutor begins.

I can still remember that we had fun. The last pictures I have are actually positive. I don't know what happened to turn it around like that.

37-jähriger Betroffener im Landesgericht Korneuburg (NÖ)

An argument broke out between him and three acquaintances in a pub in the victim's home town in the Weinviertel region. "I can still remember that we had a good time. The last pictures I have are actually positive. I don't know what happened to turn things around like that," says the 37-year-old from Lower Austria. Because he can't remember the actual incident at all - which is due to the medication and the nine beers. 

Aimed at the head with a crossbow
The witnesses describe how he suddenly behaved unpleasantly and made right-wing extremist remarks. After an argument, however, he left the pub. But only to fetch his crossbow from home - aiming it right at the head of a man present. The 37-year-old was immediately wrestled to the ground. For defense attorney Philipp Winkler, an intent to murder is almost absurd: "It is still necessary to pull the trigger. The question that now arises is whether he wanted to pull the trigger or not."

Due to his state of mental health, the Lower Austrian is not facing a prison sentence. The jury will have to decide whether he should be placed in a forensic therapy center. For which, according to the court psychiatrist, all the requirements are met. Defense attorney Winkler is convinced that it would be enough to give his client treatment instructions. After all, he is able to understand his illness. A decision is still pending.