Judges’ association condemns conduct of Konstantopoulou in Tempe trial disruption

Greece’s relation of judges and prosecutors connected Friday condemned the behaviour of lawyer and person Zoe Konstantopoulou pursuing a courtroom confrontation that led to the suspension and restart of a high-profile trial linked to the Tempe train collision.

In a statement, the relation described her behaviour toward the presiding justice astatine the Larissa Misdemeanor Court arsenic “unprecedented for judicial proceedings” and said it had undermined the functioning of justice.

The comments came a time aft proceedings were halted when the presiding justice declared she was recusing herself, nullifying 19 anterior sessions successful the trial implicit missing surveillance footage related to the train collision, which killed 57 radical connected February 28, 2023.

The relation said Thursday’s incidental marked “another driblet successful an already overflowing glass,” warning that repeated confrontations were obstructing efforts to found the truth. It added that the situation had escalated into a “daily arena” that was openly hindering judicial proceedings.

According to tribunal accounts, tensions peaked when Konstantopoulou, starring a radical of lawyers representing victims’ families, pursued the justice done the courthouse aft she concisely near the seat during a session. The lawyer demanded explanations for the judge’s absence, questioned her impartiality and shouted accusations.

The justice aboriginal said she had stepped retired to retrieve keys needed to entree grounds storage successful effect to a procedural request. Upon returning, she cited repeated insults and interruptions earlier declaring she would recuse herself. A judicial assembly subsequently upheld the decision.

The relation warned that such behaviour risks undermining the justness system itself, saying that procedures babelike connected “the audacity of individuals without a consciousness of limits” were bound to beryllium compromised.

It besides said that, beyond judges, different lawyers had been targeted for refusing to prosecute successful what it described arsenic inappropriate behaviour during the proceedings.

Calling for a unified effect from the ineligible community, the relation urged authorities to take contiguous action, stressing that work indispensable beryllium assumed astatine each levels to safeguard the integrity of the judicial process.

The Larissa tribunal had heard testimony from lone three witnesses earlier the proceedings were disrupted.