Murder of Cologne rocker: Court examines life sentence against client

Murder of Cologne rocker: Court examines life sentence against client

The murder case involving Eren Y. (35), a former Hells Angels rocker, is once again dealing with the Federal Constitutional Court. The court is currently examining the constitutional complaint from Hami S. (28), who is considered to have commissioned the murder but denies the crime. S. was sentenced to life imprisonment after the Cologne court examined the evidence in May 2023 that supported strong suspicion against him. The Federal Court of Justice confirmed the verdict without any legal errors, which further exacerbates the situation for Hami S. One would think that he could hope to finally obtain an acquittal. Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reports that the suspected shooters, Marco C. (28) and Emre U. (32), are still on the run.

The crime took place in front of a brewery in Mülheim, where Eren Y. was shot in an action described as a “public execution”. The background remains unclear, but there is speculation that turf wars or debts in the rocker milieu could play a role. According to the investigation, Eren Y. had previously met the suspected shooters in a gym, which may have influenced the course of the crime.

Legal situation and procedural issues

Hami S.'s defense has filed a constitutional complaint because they believe the proceedings were unfair. The Federal Constitutional Court has now accepted the complaint, but the prospects of success are open. According to court documents, an application for release from prison was rejected because the strong suspicion of the crime still persists. The judge offered Emre U. the opportunity to testify as a witness in order to exonerate Hami S., but he refused because his testimony via video link was not accepted by the court.

Rocker crime has increased in Germany since the turn of the millennium, which is impressively documented by the “Rocker Crime” research project. This study, led by Bettina Zietlow, looked at the increase in these criminal structures and shows that the conflict between the Hells Angels and the Bandidos in particular is leading to an increase in violence. [KFN](https://kfn.de/forschungsprojekte/rocker criminalitaet/) describes that open power and turf battles affect the population's sense of security.

Higher context

Legislation is responding to this increase with stricter measures regulating the use of banned license plates in public in order to curb rocker scenes. As part of these efforts, several constitutional complaints, such as those against the Second Act amending the Association Act, were dismissed. The legislature pursues legitimate goals to ensure security and order, which was confirmed by the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court. Federal Constitutional Court explains that interference with fundamental rights is justified in this context.

The development of the phenomenon of rocker crime and the associated measures show how hard the state is trying to counteract crime in these milieus. The action against organized crime, including rocker gangs, is a sign that a good hand is being demonstrated here in developing the necessary prevention approaches.