Court orders retrial in new serial killer case
The Swedish appeals court on Friday overturned a decision to convict serial killer Thomas Quick for the murder of nine-year-old Therese Johannessen in Norway in 1988.
The Svea court of Appeal ordered a retrial in the case after Quick, who now goes by the name of Sture Bergwall, retracted his confession.
Supporting evidence, in the form of witness testimony or forensic evidence was completely absent from the body of evidence use to convict him, the court oberved, ruling that the conviction was not beyond reasonable doubt.
The case will now taken up again by Falu District Court after the court appeal ruled that it should take into account the changed circumstances.
"Wonderful," wrote Quick on his Twitter page when the court's decision was announced. "The appeal court decision to acquit came like a bolt of lightning."
Quick praised his lawyers who he said were "incredibly surprised".
Thomas Quick has been convicted in six trials for the murder of eight people.
In 2008 he retracted all his confessions for the crimes and applied for his first re-trial. In 2009 the Svea court of appeal granted Quick a new trial for the murder of Yenon Levi in Hedemora in central Sweden southwest of Gävle in June 1988.
Quick was acquitted of Levi's murder in September 2010.
His next application will concern the murder of Trine Jensen and Gry Storvik in 1985.
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The Svea court of Appeal ordered a retrial in the case after Quick, who now goes by the name of Sture Bergwall, retracted his confession.
Supporting evidence, in the form of witness testimony or forensic evidence was completely absent from the body of evidence use to convict him, the court oberved, ruling that the conviction was not beyond reasonable doubt.
The case will now taken up again by Falu District Court after the court appeal ruled that it should take into account the changed circumstances.
"Wonderful," wrote Quick on his Twitter page when the court's decision was announced. "The appeal court decision to acquit came like a bolt of lightning."
Quick praised his lawyers who he said were "incredibly surprised".
Thomas Quick has been convicted in six trials for the murder of eight people.
In 2008 he retracted all his confessions for the crimes and applied for his first re-trial. In 2009 the Svea court of appeal granted Quick a new trial for the murder of Yenon Levi in Hedemora in central Sweden southwest of Gävle in June 1988.
Quick was acquitted of Levi's murder in September 2010.
His next application will concern the murder of Trine Jensen and Gry Storvik in 1985.
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