Date: Sun, 25 Jun 1995 20:55:42 +0200 (MSZ) From: Bj|rn Skolander Subject: SWEDEN: 60 STABBINGS WERE NOT MURDER SWEDEN: 60 STABBINGS WERE NOT MURDER Eight years in jail for manslaughter was the verdict for the 19 year old skinhead, who on March 11 1995 stabbed the 29 year old gay elite icehockey player Peter Karlsson to death with more than 60 stabbings from a knife, when Karlsson was on his way home from a local disco in Vaesteras, Sweden. The murder of the popular player outraged the Swedish ishocky movement and several anti-violance manifestations were arranged. Shortly after the murder a 19 year old skinhead, who is involved in the Swedish neo-nazi movement, was questioned about the murder. A week later he confessed that he had murdered Karlsson. During the interrogations he has revealed anti-gay attitudes, as he thinks homosexuals are demoralizing society. During the trial he admitted, that he in the earlier interragations might have said, that homosexuals should be put on a desolated island to infect each other, so that they die. The skinhead told the court that he just happened to meet Karlsson on his way home from a night out. Karlsson had put his arm around him and suggested that they should have sex. This action the skinhead experienced as a provocation and to protect himself he used his knife. Karlsson had been drinking heavily that night and was incapable of defending himself. The main problem for the court has been to decide whether the crime should be labelled as murder or manslaughter. The prosecution insisted on murder, whereas the defence proposed manslaughter. The district court decided to follow the defence's line, and sentenced the 19 year old to eight years of imprisonment for manslaughter. In its motivation for the verdict the district court makes clear "if the crime should be judged as murder or manslaughter very much depends on whether a provocation has come from Karlsson or not." The Swedish federation of gays and lesbians (RFSL) is outraged that the court appearantly has taken into consideration, that Peter Karlsson has approached the skinhead. - I don't believe that it should be regarded as extenuating circumstances if women stabbed men to death, who tried to date them, says RFSL chairman Hakan Andersson. Even prosecutor Nils Hallonsten is outspoken critical to the verdict. The conclusion of the Swedish district court also differs from a recent Dutch verdict, were three men were sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for having robbed and murdered an elderly gay man, who had invited the men to his house, where he later suggested they have sex together (Dutch Gay News 061595). Translated from Reporter 1995/6 by Bjorn Skolander