Germany/Portugal - Christian Brueckner, 27 @ time of 1st crime (2004), charged with sexual assault crimes, Praia de Rocha, Portugal. #5

[Anxala]

Has cb chosen to remain silent, or does he not have to say anything? Is this the norm in Germany?

He has the right to remain silent as in most court systems. It's a fundamental right.

 

[Davieson]

Has cb chosen to remain silent, or does he not have to say anything? Is this the norm in Germany?

I think his silence is by choice, as far as the police/prosecutors are concerned and any communication is via his lawyers. So far this seems to apply to the court as well

 

[Anxala]

Many cities and houses on the Algarve coast but he was in this special house where HB was raped

And probably countless other houses and apartment blocks in the area since he lived/hung out there, and hung out/partied with tourists who stayed in apartment blocks. His presence there can't be treated as evidence of anything other than he happened to visit some tourists who were staying at that apartment block at the time (3 months or so prior to the attack on HaB, if I recall correctly from the court accounts).

 

[Mex]

Has cb chosen to remain silent, or does he not have to say anything? Is this the norm in Germany?

Were I involved in any way whatsoever with the law and might be considered a suspect my choice would be to maintain my silence at least till I had the benefit of legal advice..

I would do so even were I innocent.

Were I guilty nobody would get a squeak out of me under any circumstances. I would rely on my right to the presumption of innocence.

Nobody has to "prove" innocence; it is up to accusers to prove guilt. Which can happen quite often given advances in forensic evidence and easier linking of circumstantial evidence.
My opinion

 

[RichardKimble]

Has cb chosen to remain silent, or does he not have to say anything? Is this the norm in Germany?

nemo tenetur se ipsum accusare​

No one is bound to accuse himself (the right to silence)​

 

[frank-cole]

Has cb chosen to remain silent, or does he not have to say anything? Is this the norm in Germany?

He doesn’t need to engage with anybody, that includes the psychiatrist expert & so on.

His benefit is that neither he or his team need to prove he wasn’t responsible. They’ve been attacking the source rather than the information itself.

 

[frank-cole]

Many cities and houses on the Algarve coast but he was in this special house where HB was raped

CB having been close to Hazel’s apartment before, is bound to be just another coincidence……

Looking at the totality, we’re starting to accumulate lottery odds for coincidences. But those odds are just a coincidence..

 

[Davieson]

If the prosecutions wishes to claim that these events aren't coincident, then it is up to them to prove that they aren't