A new cycle of confrontations erupted in the courtroom where the case of the brutal murder of Kyriaki Griva is being tried, shortly after the “apology” requested by defense attorney Spyros Dimitriou, who shouted “enough already” and threw a bottle toward prosecution counsel I. Apatsidis. The tension escalated in the courtroom when Mr. Apatsidis referenced information about alleged attempts to approach the victim’s family with financial offers.
Read: Kyriaki Griva: Intense confrontation at murder trial – Defendant’s lawyer throws bottle at colleague
Kyriaki Griva trial: The new courtroom incident
After the recess, the court president addressed Mr. Apatsidis, asking if he accepted the apology. However, this question sparked a new round of intense confrontations. Mr. Apatsidis reacted strongly, directing criticism at the presiding panel and accusing the president of biased behavior against him.
The president warned that she would request the trial transcripts be forwarded to the relevant authorities for potential contempt of court charges. “I request the transcripts be forwarded to the appropriate authorities due to your behavior,” the president stated characteristically, with tension remaining high in the courtroom.
The initial confrontation
The defendant’s mother today faced questions from the lawyers representing Kyriaki’s mother and father. The witness responded in raised tones, screaming at intervals, while at one point saying: “He’s a murderer. He killed her, convict him, but don’t tell me who has been through hell…”
Subsequently, prosecution counsel I. Apatsidis stated that there had been an approach to the victim’s family, for the defendant’s mother to deed them a house. Kyriaki’s mother said “I don’t want to say, through third parties,” while the defendant’s mother again had a verbal confrontation with Kyriaki’s father and mother.
“Enough with the lies,” she said, addressing Kyriaki’s mother, while continuing “you tell the lies and you (referring to the father) repeat what they tell you.” (…) The tension continued to escalate with Kyriaki’s mother’s lawyer asking the witness if she had sent a message to his client.
The witness continued to insist that she wanted to read the message while shouting, with the prosecution counsel responding with shouts of his own, while defense attorney Spyros Dimitriou also intervened, turning the courtroom into an arena with the victim’s family and their lawyer shouting.
The witness periodically erupted, saying that the victim in the entire case is Kyriaki, but always adding a qualifier. “The only victim here is Kyriaki, that doesn’t change, he slaughtered her. I see Kyriaki in my sleep. I’m with them, with this mother and this father,” the defendant’s mother stated in particularly high tones.
Finally, the prosecutor stated that she would make her position known tomorrow on all the motions submitted. The trial was adjourned and will continue Friday morning.
