Ice sculpture trial: Defence lawyers request acquittals for municipal staff

Defence lawyers representing staff of Luxembourg City’s events service have argued that the sculptor alone should be held responsible for the fatal 2019 ice sculpture accident, as the trial continued on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the trial related to the fatal accident involving an ice sculpture at the 2019 Christmas market in Luxembourg City continued with the defence pleas for staff of the local council’s Service for Events, Celebrations, and Markets (EFM). The defence lawyers placed sole blame for the accident on the sculptor and requested that their clients be acquitted.

Following the defence pleas, the prosecution spoke again. The representative of the public prosecutor’s office presented a metre stick to the court to demonstrate the height of 2.5 metres. He did so because he remains convinced that the then-staff member of the Luxembourg City Tourist Office (LCTO) – who ordered the sculpture and was aware of its intended height – should have shared that information with municipal staff.

The trial will resume on Monday, as the lawyer for the civil parties plans to submit further documents. The lawyer in question has faced heavy criticism from the defence over the past few days regarding her claims for damages.