He got a weak sentence- only 16 year
 

The judges should have followed the prosecutor = 26 years

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31413738


Markus

By character he is greasy and a youknowwhat, his will is weak, he is a narcissist and vain peacock, a coward and unscrupulous egoist, and an incapable ship captain.

But a deliberate murderer with the intention to kill he is not. I expected 15-20 years, so i think the penalty more or less is okay - if it does not get eased by early release.

He should also be prohibited to publish a book or visit a TV show in 16 years and collect income from that. He should in no way be allowed to make a single coin by marketing his story.

I heard one report on tv that whilst the trial was ongoing he was lecturing at universities and colleges etc. on 'Emergency Management Preocedures' :o

So by that account a life in Italy is only worth 6 months. Causing a shipwreck is worth nothing.

Again, it was no intentional planned murder, but an accident. An accident caused by the qualities and factors I mentioned above, no doubt, and the man certainly seems to be a very sleazy character by all what we heard of him in the past time, his carelessness allowing the accident to happen and his performance afterwards being a shame - but still, an accident followed by totally inappropriate behaviour.

I am against sentencing him the same way like a murderer. He is a lump, and incapable, and a narcissist, a coward, and to blame it all on his subordinates also tells something about his bad character, he has neither spine, nor honour - but a murderer he nevertheless is not.

Lets keep murder and accidents two different things, else quite some of us will eventually find ourselves in hell's kitchen. And I would be guilty of attempted murder already, too (I caused a training accident myself some years ago that almost killed somebody). ;)

Criminal neglect is the correct term I think?

That sounds about right.

Willful negligence is closer (bewußte Fahrlässigkeit), I think. He decided to let things slide, he did not let things slide because not being aware he let them slide.

@ Skybird

I still say he got away easy...

Maybe he's not a killer BUT it was he's way of acting that lead to the death of 32 people and the destruction of huge billion worth of ship.


So he got away cheap.

Markus

16 years is nothing to the families. Accidents are preventable in ships (especially modern liners) just as they are with cars. His lack of responsibility of his post is disgraceful, his buck-passing is reprehensible. The man is devoid of morals and I hope his tariff gets raised at appeal.

I totally agree with you.

There's an ex-paramedic (he's actually from my general area) that makes his living now lecturing on the dangers of Emergency vehicle operations.

He was involved in a fatal car wreck while driving 'hot' one night. In his trial (he was at fault, no doubt about that), the jury found him not guilty of all charges, including man slaughter, aside from a minor charge, something like failure to yield. But because the prosecutor had worded the indictment sneakily (in my opinion), a guilty verdict on any of the charges resulted in a guilty verdict on all charges. He ended up doing something like 4-5 years.

He now goes around to various emergency services around the country lecturing on the dangers of EV ops. I have attended one of those lecturers, and he is the perfect lecturer on this topic. He is able to not only speak from a facts and figures angle, but from a personal point of view.

So, to count this guy out of being able to teach others on the topic on hand may be a bit short sighted. Maybe one of his lectures might save a whole ship one day, hundreds or thousands of lives. Would that make up for his mistakes of the past? Of course not, but maybe he can help others from doing the same.

Those that fail to learn from the failures of the past are doomed to repeat them.

He was not really showing insight into his responsibilities afterwards, Gargamel. That is what makes him an inadequate teacher. Even more so when considering what a coward he showed to be. And he blamed others and tried to get out of it as clean as possible.

As I said: a lifelong ban to write books and articles about his story, and prevent him from making coins with having it turned into a movie. He should be unable to ever make cash with what he caused. And that includes "lectures", of course.

Would think different, maybe, if he would have stand by his responsibility. But he tried to doge. No, such teachers must not be wanted.

In Germany, it would be two thirds of the total penalty, if his prison record is good.