GUILTY Austria - Thomas Plamberger leaves gf, Kerstin Gurtner to freeze to death on Austria's tallest mountain - charged with manslaughter - Jan.19/2025

[georgiajean]

Media release from Innsbruck Court. A beast to translate. I translated the parts I thought were important to see. file:///C:/Users/blueh/Downloads/Medieninfo_Urteil%20HV%20Gro%C3%9Fglockner_Schuldspruch.pdf

"2) For a penalty range of up to 3 years, a prison sentence of a total of 9 months was imposed. Part of this prison sentence amounting to 4 months was converted into a fine in accordance with § 43a para. 2 of the Criminal Code, the remaining part of the prison sentence of 5 months was suspended on a probation period of 3 years, the unconditional fine therefore amounts to 240 daily rates of €40 each, totaling €9,600."

3) In the conviction, it was assumed that • there was a factual leadership relationship with corresponding assumption of responsibility; • the tour was inadequately planned; • the tour was not aborted in time; • an emergency call was not made despite multiple opportunities; • only partially suitable equipment was provided by the defendant. the actual difficulty of the route in mixed rock-ice terrain was concealed or downplayed, and • the companion was led to believe that the summit and the Erzherzog-Johann Hut were reachable and that continuing was the only option. Kerstin G**, however, was unable to adequately assess the situation and respond due to insufficient experience

4) It was not accepted that: • the tour started 2 hours late, as the defendant could have expected a higher average speed at that time; • the accusation of carrying too little equipment, since the defendant did not carry any emergency equipment for himself, but could have used Kerstin G**'s equipment. • the use of the wrong belaying method (belaying from stand to stand instead of on the running rope), since the latter is taught in mountain guide training, but this belaying method is quite complex and could not reasonably be expected of the defendant considering the differentiated standard of care; • the allegation that the emergency call was placed not at 12:35 a.m. but only at 3:30 a.m. (he should have placed it much earlier anyway), as the court assumed that the defendant believed his description during the phone call at 12:35 a.m. would be sufficiently understood as an emergency call.

5) In mitigation of sentencing, the court took into account the defendant's previously unblemished record and the loss of his life partner; in addition, the public discussion on social media that was prejudicial to the defendant was considered.

 

[RedHaus]

Media release from Innsbruck Court. A beast to translate. I translated the parts I thought were important to see. file:///C:/Users/blueh/Downloads/Medieninfo_Urteil%20HV%20Gro%C3%9Fglockner_Schuldspruch.pdf

... in addition, the public discussion on social media that was prejudicial to the defendant was considered.

Now THAT makes my skin crawl. WTF.

 

[Charlot123]

And I bet he stashed it somewhere and went back to get it....

Probably posted it somewhere…

BTW, didn’t Kerstin have a GoPro? They are not super expensive. Where is hers?

 

[georgiajean]

Been reading Reddit threads to find articles. Found another "ticker" from the trial, which fills in many missing pieces from the Krone ticker. Bedingte Haft und Geldstrafe für Angeklagten im "Großglockner-Prozess"

It took me a while to figure out how to access ticker and get it translated, but then succeeded.
I have attached a pdf. It is a lot of text, like 46 pages.

 

[georgiajean]

Actual transcript of judge's questioning of Andrea B, the ex-gf.

Frau am Großglockner erfroren: Bergsteiger soll auch Ex-Freundin zurückgelassen haben

Innsbruck (Österreich) – Gemeinsam mit seiner Freundin Kerstin G. brach Thomas P. (37) zu einer Tour auf den Großglockner (3798 Meter) auf. Doch als ihre...

www.bild.de

On the evening of the trial – around 6:40 p.m. – Andrea B. finally testified herself. BILD records her statements from the courtroom.

Richter: "How conscientious was Thomas P. when preparing for the tour?"

Witness Andrea B.: "These were all tours that he had already gone on himself. Okay, we'll go now, they said. He's already taken care of it, but he tends to get grumpy."
Judge: "Was there a situation where he left you alone?"

Witness: "Yes, where we did the Glockner crossing. The mood was bad. We stayed overnight, I wanted to go straight down, he over the Stüdlhütte. He was grumpy, I was at the end of my strength. Apparently I was too slow for him, and suddenly he was gone. It was just the middle of the night, I was all alone, my headlamp went out, I was dizzy, I bawled and screamed. I was quite alone, he had gone to the Luckner hut. That was also our last mountain tour."

Richter: "I can well imagine that. Has there been a situation like this before?"

Witness: "Not to that extent, but there were things. If I was slow or clumsy, then he was grumpy, I shouldn't act like that. I had definitely said that I wanted to do that. I was already aware of what I was getting myself into."

Richter: "Was it ever a topic of conversation that he left her behind on the mountain?"

Witness: "There were people who said you should tell the police that."