Kachelmann: Successful lawsuit against media
Weather anchor Jörg Kachelmann has successfully sued over the detailed coverage of his own trial. The media should not have been allowed to publish details of the defendant’s private life at that time without further ado.
This also applies if these circumstances were addressed in the public hearing, as the Cologne Higher Regional Court ruled on Tuesday. Kachelmann, who was charged with the suspected rape of an ex-girlfriend and acquitted by the Mannheim Regional Court, had sued against the reporting of several media. He had already received justice from the Regional Court. The appeals of the media have now also been rejected.
During questioning, Kachelmann had described in detail the usual and consensual sexual intercourse between him and his ex-girlfriend. The three media sued had disseminated details of this. In the opinion of the Higher Regional Court, this infringed on Kachelmann's right of personality. The interest of the media had to take second place to the plaintiff's right to protection of his privacy, it said. The publicity of a courtroom could not be compared with the effect of a publication in the media, and even more so of a publication on the Internet.
The details published had no connection with the specific accusation. Until a conviction, the presumption of innocence applies in favor of the accused. The Higher Regional Court has allowed an appeal to the Federal Supreme Court. (SDA/DAPD)
(Image: Keystone)
