Tensions erupted today during a trial at the Joint Jury Court of Appeal of Crete in Chania, Greece, which was held for the murder of a 49-year-old man in Bali, Rethymnon on November 16, 2019.

A 50-year-old cattle farmer, who was found guilty in the first trial without mitigating circumstances and sentenced to life imprisonment, is accused in the murder case.

In today’s trial, as reported by flashnews.gr, there was a conflict between the relatives of the victim and the accused in the courtroom, in the presence of police officers.

Judges and jury left safely and the trial was adjourned to continue with only five members of each family present in the courtroom.

“Will someone answer me why my husband is dead?” said the 49-year-old’s wife

The hearing of the case began with the testimony of witnesses starting with the victim’s brother, with the court examining whether there was harassment of the accused’s goats by the hounds.

This was followed by the victim’s wife’s testimony, who mainly stood on what she said was the “violent” character of the accused as opposed to the mild character of the victim while visibly moved, she wondered: “Will someone answer me why my husband is dead?”

A third witness examined was a relative of the victim with whom he had been hunting with on that fatal day and it was a statement to which particular weight was given.

He said they went to hunt rabbits and the party split up with him and the victim going to a spot without hunting dogs which the other members of the party had at another spot.

While he was at a distance from the victim, he reported to the Court that at some point and while he had started hunting he heard shouting and swearing and then a gunshot. He ran to that spot and heard the victim and the defendant shouting and the phrases, “Are you going to kill the dogs?”, “I’m going to kill you too.”

He then heard a second shot, and as he had meanwhile approached he saw the victim kneel and fall mortally wounded, firing his own shotgun in the direction of the defendant, who cried out “They ate me” while wounded by the bullets.

In the same context was the testimony of the fourth witness who was in the company of the hunters, but from a greater distance, and both told the Court that they were not hunting on the defendant’s property, nor did their hounds disturb his sheep and goats, and that the defendant came out of his pasture armed with a shotgun as he was determined to kill and had threatened hunters in the past.

Particular emphasis was given to the issue of the shooting as the defense counsel advanced the allegation that during the exchange of gunfire, he shot the victim first. As in the first trial, this issue is expected to dominate the hearing.

After the fourth witness, the trial was adjourned and the Court set Monday, November 11, and Friday, November 15 as the next dates for its continuation.

The chronicle of the tragedy

The incredible tragedy unfolded on the morning of November 16, 2019.

The hunter allegedly argued with the then 45-year-old rancher when the victim’s hounds entered the latter’s sheepfold, resulting in a fight.

The perpetrator and victim knew each other as they were residents of the same village.

The 45-year-old farmer claimed in preliminary questioning that the 49-year-old hunter was the one who first turned the gun on him and shot him, while the victim’s side claims the exact opposite.

It is recalled that the breeder was also injured and was being treated at the University Hospital of Heraklion.