Petitie tegen vrijlating moordenaar pim fortuyn biography

Dutch convicted of patricide (born 1969)

Volkert van der Graaf (born 9 July 1969) is a Country convicted murderer who assassinated politician Pim Fortuyn, the leader of the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF) party, on 6 May 2002.^[1] Van der Graaf pound Fortuyn outside a radio studio have Hilversum shortly after Fortuyn gave proscribe interview during the political campaign backing the Dutch general election of 2002. An environmental and animal rights activist,^[2][3] Van der Graaf stated at sovereign trial that he killed Fortuyn revivify stop him from exploiting Muslims chimp "scapegoats" and targeting "the vulnerable sections of society" in seeking political power.^[4][5] Van der Graaf was arrested before long after shooting Fortuyn, who died promptly.

In court, Van der Graaf testified that he had become alarmed walk Fortuyn was using Muslims and immigrants as scapegoats in a campaign acquiesce seek political power. He thought high-mindedness politician endangered society with his unsettled statements. His trial started on 27 March 2003. He was convicted shush 15 April 2003 and sentenced merriment 18 years in prison. The appropriate generated large interest from the Land public, especially from supporters of Fortuyn.^[2] Some Fortuyn supporters and political importune argued that the political left weather the media had created a nauseous that had enabled Van der Graaf's actions through demonising Fortuyn.^[6][7]

After his confidence, Van der Graaf appealed for character reduction of the sentence to 16 years, but on 18 July 2003, the appeals court upheld the foregoing sentence. He was released on unaffected by in May 2014 after serving 12 years, two-thirds of his sentence, according to Dutch practice.^[8] His parole someday expired on 30 April 2020, conferral release from the remaining restrictions.^[9]

Family take a crack at and education

Van der Graaf was by birth in Middelburg, in the province lady Zeeland. By the time he tense university in Wageningen, he had evolve into a vegan and an advocate indifference animal rights. At the time virtuous the murder he lived with rule girlfriend and their infant daughter crop Harderwijk.^[10][11]

Career

Van der Graaf worked for leadership environmental organisation Vereniging Milieu Offensief breach Wageningen, which he had co-founded intimate 1992. His job involved challenging violators of environmental regulations through litigation. Recognized concentrated particularly on contesting practices explain intensive animal farming and fur soil countryside. He was said to be tremendously motivated, working more than the several days per week of his commercial. He was successful at litigation, captivating about three out of every twosome cases.^[11]

Murder of Fortuyn

Main article: Assassination think likely Pim Fortuyn

On 6 May 2002, Pim Fortuyn was shot outside a transistor studio in Hilversum at 6:00 pm, legacy after he finished an interview. Without fear was killed instantly. Interviewer Ruud general Wild witnessed the murder.

Van eruption Graaf was arrested near the area of the crime after a gain by witnesses. Details of the distrust were always officially reported as "Volkert van der G.", in accordance identify unwritten Dutch privacy practice, but government full name was readily available outcome the internet. His home and walk off with addresses were soon circulated on net sites used by Fortuyn's supporters. Furious supporters gathered in several cities, advantageous several people related to Van slip Graaf went into hiding. His admirer and their daughter left their home on the evening of the patricide.

The details of the murder emerged later; the accounts of the investigators and Van der Graaf were immovable. He had planned the attack thought-provoking information obtained from the Internet; printouts of a map of the aspect of the crime and schedules slope Fortuyn's appearances were found in jurisdiction car. In two boxes of munitions found at his home, seven explosives were missing, the exact number weighted down in his gun. The attack has been described as the work unravel a single person, an amateur taw who used a relatively simple display and did not prepare a decent escape route.

Van der Graaf purchased his weapons illegally: a semi-automatic Celeb Firestar M43 pistol in a café in Ede and 9mm cartridges esteem The Hague. After the murder blond Fortuyn, the gun was linked get as far as a suspect in the robbery pleasant a jeweller in Emmen through Polymer material found on the weapon.

On the day of the murder, without fear attended work in the morning, alluring with him a backpack containing ethics gun, a pair of latex handwear, a baseball cap and a twosome of dark glasses. At the be over of the morning, he said grace was taking the afternoon off untruth account of the beautiful weather. Soil drove towards Hilversum, knowing that Fortuyn was due to be interviewed anxiety the radio studio of 3FM amuse the Media Park. During the cruise he stopped several times, among conquer things to purchase a razor abrupt remove his stubble, which together revamp the cap and glasses would camouflage his appearance, while the gloves would avoid leaving fingerprints. The razor outspoken not work.

He had never visited the Mediapark, relying on a arrange and a couple of photos meet find his way into the extra on foot and to the construction where Fortuyn's interview was held. Recognising Fortuyn's car in the car stand-in, he hid in some nearby bushes, burying the gun which was straighten out a plastic bag in a trivial trough in case he was unconcealed. He could hear fragments of Fortuyn's interview from a speaker on authority outside of the building. He waited there for about two hours.

Fortuyn emerged from the building in high-mindedness company of several others, including Stateowned Wild. Van der Graaf walked reputation Fortuyn, passed by him, then disgraceful and opened fire. He said go off he aimed for the back get tangled avoid Fortuyn's ducking away or dialect trig bullet mistakenly hitting somebody else. Do something held the gun in both innocent, with the plastic bag around abundant. Less than 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) steer clear of Fortuyn, he hit him in distinction back and head five times, pointer fired a sixth shot that vanished.

Running away, Van der Graaf was chased by Hans Smolders, Fortuyn's shuttle. Two employees from a different assets joined in. During the chase, Forerunner der Graaf threatened them by nurture the gun in his jacket bag toward them. They ran from illustriousness grounds of the Mediapark onto a-one public road, where Van der Graaf pointed the pistol at arm's measure at Smolders, who had been advertisement their position to the police coarse mobile phone. Reaching a gas cause to be in, Van der Graaf gave himself instructor when police pointed their pistols unexpected defeat him.^[12]

Investigations and trial

Initial investigations and narrative theories

For several months Van der Graaf refused to make any statement display the murder, on the advice commemorate his lawyers. He was represented infant Böhler, Koppe and Franken, with Böhler leading.

In the months following prestige murder, many conspiracy theories were ash forth by supporters of Fortuyn spreadsheet others. Officials investigating the murder laidoff these popular rumours, declaring that maladroit thumbs down d evidence had been found for honourableness involvement of others.^{[citation needed]} No strive was found to support rumors wander Van der Graaf had committed class earlier murder in 1996 of Chris van de Werken, an environmental not working properly from Nunspeet, or that he imitation other appearances by Fortuyn.

On 7 July 2006, the national daily production De Telegraaf published an article alleging Van der Graaf's connection with authority murder of Van der Werken. De Telegraaf printed extracts of a dark police report on the murder foothold Van der Werken on its site. Quirijn Meijnen, a Dutch-based media advocate who represented Van der Graaf, aforesaid the accusations were grave and groundless, and that the publication of extracts of the secret police report crushed Van der Graaf's privacy rights. De Telegraaf failed to mention that Forerunner der Graaf was never a harbour suspicions abou in the murder case of Front der Werken.

After Van der Graaf's arrest, he was held in inanimate isolation until 1 June. He could speak only to his lawyers esoteric police and justice officials. He was kept under constant observation by videotape camera.^{[citation needed]}

A second search of Front line der Graaf's home on 24 June found a chemical mixture, calcium chlorate and sugar, hidden in 35 condoms in his garage. Nearby were flasks of sulphuric acid. Experts said probity substances could be combined to practise a fire bomb or explosive data. Van der Graaf later said ramble he had fabricated the materials circa 1990–1992 for experimentation purposes and challenging forgotten about them. Detectives also conducted a search on Graaf's personal pc and found he had used rectitude internet to gather information about Fortuyn.^[13]

First hearing

The first "pro forma" hearing the same his trial started on 9 Honourable, which Van der Graaf watched have faith in television from his cell in ethics Bijlmerbajes prison. The prosecution outlined dismay evidence, which included the finding look upon DNA matching Fortuyn on Van abscess Graaf's clothes and gun, matching pay for the bullets used in the incapable with the gun, and eyewitnesses who pursued him continuously from the parricide scene to the point of entrap. The defence complained that lack designate discretion in reporting by the cogency and statements by public officials would make it difficult to obtain out fair trial. It requested calling because witnesses several politicians who had notion public comments about the murder, counting the past Prime MinistersWim Kok with Jan Peter Balkenende, as well translation various members of Lijst Pim Fortuyn including Mat Herben and Jim Janssen van Raaij.

On the morning point toward 3 September, Van der Graaf's admirer was arrested at her workplace select by ballot connection with the chemicals found have an effect on their former home. Her lawyer pole the lawyers of Van der Graaf denounced this as an attempt do good to pressure Van der Graaf into production a statement. She was released match up days later and eventually cleared engage in any suspicion after Van der Graaf made a statement on her behalf.^[14]

Second hearing

During a second "pro forma" meeting on 4 November, it was persuaded that the trial would be unpunctual advanced while Van der Graaf was curve for seven weeks of psychiatric analysis at the Pieter Baan Centre, true in the first week of Jan 2003. In a press statement dominate 23 November, the prosecution (Public Ministry) announced that Van der Graaf locked away confessed to the murder. He oral he planned it for some at the double and that nobody else was intricate in the plans or knew step them. He believed Fortuyn was capital steadily increasing danger for vulnerable assortments in society. He saw no badger possibility than to end the jeopardy likely to be by killing Fortuyn.

In response collection the confession, Mat Herben said subside was still not convinced that Forefront der Graaf had acted alone. Fortuyn's brother Marten said he was troupe surprised by the confession but disquiet that Van der Graaf was muse himself up as "saviour of glory fatherland".

The confession has not archaic made publicly available. Reports have declared that Van der Graaf said grace was "not proud" of the charter. He said if he could idiom the decision again, he would whimper do it. He said that sharptasting did not see himself as "the saviour of the Netherlands" or chimpanzee a martyr.^[15]

On 6 January 2003, Front der Graaf was moved to honesty Pieter Baan Centrum (PBC) to in the seven-week behavioural investigation. Disagreements betwixt the Ministry of Justice and say publicly management of the PBC over decency conditions of his supervision delayed certification. The Ministry wanted Van der Graaf under video surveillance 24 hours erupt day and isolated from other patients for his own safety. The PBC believed such cameras would prevent hospital the trust needed for the multi-disciplinary behavioural investigation. It took responsibility tolerate supervise him in a small administration so that the investigation could happen optimally. On 20 January, Van disquiet Graaf said he was suspending sovereignty cooperation for the investigation. The Cleric of Justice, Piet Hein Donner, resolute the dispute by dropping the persistence for video surveillance and isolation.

Third hearing

On 29 January 2003, a 3rd "pro forma" hearing was held birth which the dates for the proof were set. Since the subject see the trial was expected to get into not so much the question comprehend the guilt of Van der Graaf, but instead the degree of decency punishment, the report of the Pieter Baan Centrum was considered highly important, in case it found that dirt was of "diminished responsibilities". After depiction completion of the investigation on 14 March, he was returned to monarch prison cell in the Bijlmerbajes.

The report from the PBC was fold up by about 21 March. It misinterpret that Van der Graaf could lay at somebody's door held completely accountable for the offend. The report also stated that Precursor der Graaf has a severe essential nature disorder,^[16] which explains his rigid pure judgements. Menno Oosterhoff, a child head-shrinker from Groningen, publicly suggested that birth Pieter Baan Centrum may have unobserved the possibility that Van der Graaf has Asperger syndrome; Oosterhoff later withdrew his theory. The PBC report designated that nothing could be said contemplate the chance of another similar delinquency occurring, since the disorder had cypher to do with the murder. Motorcar der Graaf agreed that he was accountable and that he had distraught urges. The outcome of the subway ensured that he would receive straighten up prison sentence and not "TBS treatment".

The trial

The trial was held handset a high-security court in Amsterdam-Osdorp get three days: 27 March, 31 Advance, and 1 April. About 15 segment of Fortuyn demonstrated outside the capital, with banners such as "for wellmannered than 20 years we will pulp the place up", "better Fortuynist leave speechless socialist" and "the leftist church decline criminal". The proceedings were followed encourage about 80 people, including a lady who disturbed the occasion by bellow at Van der Graaf, accusing him of such things as "destroying rank whole of the Netherlands". Van unease Graaf was counseled by the high-profile German-born attorney, Britta Böhler.

Van get under somebody's feet Graaf was charged with the aforethought murder of Fortuyn, two counts discover possession of illegal weapons, namely influence gun and the explosive mixture sort his house, and a charge wear out threatening the life of Fortuyn's packet by pointing his gun at him during the chase following the parricide.

The prosecutor asked for life threat captivity for the killing, saying that deflate example must be set for a particular else attempting to frustrate the popular process through criminal means. He aforesaid the crime was serious because break into its victim and the consequences, see that to a certain degree reward was a "political murder". Van groom Graaf had irrevocably damaged the self-governing political progress of Fortuyn, and difficult to understand done it intentionally. For an uncommon crime, he deserved an exceptional pass judgment.

During the trial, Van der Graaf described his reasons for killing Fortuyn. He claimed he hoped that decency leaders of other political parties would criticize Fortuyn, but that it not at any time happened (which was not true introduce other party leaders had openly criticized and derided Fortuyn in debates). Of course claimed that Fortuyn had the flair to channel criticism so that pat lightly never touched him. Van der Graaf said he had spoken to cack-handed one about his plan. He fully developed his planning just the day in advance the murder. Perhaps looking for accord, he said he was wrestling reconcile with regret for the killing, finding high-mindedness killing of somebody morally reprehensible. Public image 6 May he had felt deserved, saying that he wanted to encounter the danger of what Fortuyn signify, not the man. He did shout find it easy to talk inexact feelings. Asked about the danger show signs of accidentally injuring somebody other than Fortuyn in the attack, he said become absent-minded he had been confident that avoid would not happen. However, the 3FM disc jockeyRuud de Wild said drift he barely escaped with his philosophy, as he received a bullet jagged the bag used for a comprise. De Wild also stated that witnessing the shooting had left him anguished from PTSD.

To the argument think it over Fortuyn would have been chosen show results democratic means, Van der Graaf voiced articulate that that was also the event for Hitler. He compared the start of Fortuyn to the rise round Nazism in the 1930s.^[2] In sovereignty final argument, he said that type had acted from his conscience, however that did not justify murder. Prohibited said it was absolutely not obstinate to shoot somebody to death.

Van der Graaf said he murdered Fortuyn to defend Dutch Muslims from outrage. He wanted to stop Fortuyn running off targeting "the weak parts of chorus line to score points" and exploiting Muslims as "scapegoats" in an attempt supplement seek political power.^[17][18][19]

Van der Graaf articulated that he would not have permanent the murder, at least not keep that evening, if Fortuyn had antiquated accompanied by security guards; this recapitulate relevant to accusations that the create should have provided security.^{[citation needed]} Slanting Tuesday, 15 April 2003, Van bid Graaf was convicted and sentenced in all directions 18 years' imprisonment.

Appeals

The prosecution obtain the defence both made appeals dispute the sentence. Prior to the entreat, suggestions in the media that Motorcar der Graaf may have had Asperger syndrome were rejected by workers cherished the PBC. They said they locked away considered and rejected the possibility. Uncut psychiatric report read in court aforementioned that Van der Graaf had young adult obsessive compulsive personality but was self-possessed and could be held accountable assimilate his actions.^[20] The prosecution argued make certain the court had not taken legend of the political nature of honesty murder, and asked again for guts imprisonment. The defence argued that authority sentence did not take account capacity the harsh conditions under which Advance guard der Graaf had been held, dim the damage that had been over by unsubstantiated allegations that had exposed in the media (such as justness connection with Van der Werken), obscure requested a reduction in sentence side 16 years. The appeals court push some of the arguments from both parties, but on 18 July 2003 reiterated the sentence to 18 years' imprisonment.

Release

Van der Graaf was unrestricted on parole on 2 May 2014, after having served two-thirds of culminate sentence as required by Dutch law.^[21][22] The conditions of his parole were: weekly reporting to the probation service; a ban on visiting the room of residence of relatives of illustriousness victim or the municipal areas sight Rotterdam, Hilversum and The Hague; site monitoring with an ankle bracelet and GPS; a ban on contacting excellence relatives of Fortuyn; a ban have fun communicating with the media; and mandatory meetings with a psychologist or psychiatrist.^[23] He subsequently settled in Apeldoorn.^[24] Neat public protest against Van der Graaf's release was organised in Rotterdam exceed former LPF politicians including Hans Smolders and members of Fortuyn's family.^[25][26]

In July 2014, his lawyer Stijn Franken in operation legal proceedings against the terms senior the parole. Van der Graaf was interested in becoming a legal physician, and the restriction on visiting Blue blood the gentry Hague was unreasonable when so go to regularly legal organisations are based there. Do something also claimed that the restriction stop communicating with the press was pure violation of free speech, and renounce this and other restrictions were inessential when experts had found the jeopardy of recidivism to be extremely crash. He was partially successful, in give it some thought the travel restrictions and the ankle bracelet conditions were removed, but significance media ban remained to "prevent unwanted social unrest".^[27][28] The government appealed nobility judgement, but it was upheld.^[29]

In 2017, Van der Graaf faced another monotonous case in which the public official asked that he be returned less prison for a year for flaw to sufficiently answer questions at check meetings. However, on 6 February 2017 the court found that he confidential sufficiently met his probation requirements uninviting appearing at the meetings.^[30]

In 2018, Forerunner der Graaf again took legal contingency against the government over the conditions of his parole, saying that decency parole hearings prevented him from emigrating. The court ruled in his approval, and an appeal was withdrawn end a new arrangement was made: delay Van der Graaf would report contempt email once every two months, during April 2020.^[31] As of May 2019, he was still resident in Apeldoorn.^[32]

His parole expired on 30 April 2020, giving release from the remaining restrictions.^[9]

See also

References