Celebrity Drama in Vienna

Wife of Show Star Bit Police Officer on the Hand

Stock image.(Bild: P. Huber)

The woman is said to have been in a state of mental distress when the attack on one of the intervening officers occurred. “I’m truly sorry. But there were reasons why I was feeling so bad,” she tells the judge. She is charged with resisting law enforcement and aggravated assault. The defendant is acquitted.

Last fall, officers in Vienna were called to a scene after a young woman apparently fell into a state of mental distress. Her celebrity husband had dialed 911 and described the incident. Family problems are said to have been the trigger. “That was a very difficult week for me. I couldn’t sleep or eat,” the woman said during her trial at the Landl.

No emergency services called
Her attorney, Nikolaus Rast, elaborates: “Her trust was truly and massively betrayed by her partner.” That was the reason why his client wanted to drown her sorrows that day: “It really hurt. That’s why I drank alcohol. I just wanted to finally sleep.” The police officers did not call for an ambulance but drove to the scene themselves.

Resistance during restraint
There, due to the woman’s conspicuous behavior, they saw a risk of self-harm and thus deemed the conditions for temporary detention to be met. To transport her, the intervening officers apparently attempted to handcuff the woman, which proved difficult. “In that state, everything was a threat to me,” the defendant explains. According to the criminal complaint, she is said to have resisted violently during the restraint—and bit one of the police officers so hard in the hand that he was injured as a result.

My client was in a state of extreme distress. It is completely incomprehensible to me that an ambulance was not called immediately.

Rechtsanwalt Nikolaus Rast

Bild: zVg

The woman resisted being handcuffed.(Bild: P. Huber)

Woman wanted to see her husband
The reason for the escalation: According to the incident report, the woman, who was in the bedroom, insisted on speaking with her husband. But the police officers wanted to prevent this for what they call “operational tactical reasons.” Presumably to avoid provoking further escalation. “The police officers just wanted to help you,” Ms. Rat tells the defendant. She appears remorseful: “Now I understand that.”

Biting is never nice, but you’ve described here that this was an exceptional situation.

Frau Rat im Prozess im Wiener Landl

The case is dealt with swiftly: The judge offers the woman a diversion with a two-year probation period. “Biting is never nice, but you have described here that this was an exceptional situation.” She must pay the bitten officer 500 euros in compensation for pain and suffering. She hands this over right there in the courtroom. The prosecution also has no objections to the diversion—so it is legally binding.