Armin Meiwes

Kassel (Germany), Jan. 30 (Reuters): A German cannibal was convicted of manslaughter today and sentenced to eight-and -a-half years in jail for killing and eating a man who had asked to die. The verdict fell short of the murder conviction sought by prosecutors, who said Armin Meiwes had killed a Berlin-based computer engineer for sexual pleasure. The prosecution said it would appeal against the sentence.

The court took into account evidence that the victim had been a willing participant in his own killing.

Meiwes partly recorded the killing on a video, which was shown to the court. The court rejected the defence lawyer’s argument that Meiwes should be convicted of “killing on request”, a form of illegal euthanasia carrying a shorter sentence of six months to five years.

Judge Volker Muetze said the deed was “viewed with repulsion in our civilised society” but added the very clear video evidence showed that Meiwes could not be found guilty of murder.

“Seen legally, this is manslaughter — killing a person without being a murderer,” he said. Meiwes, a computer repair man, had shocked the court during his two-month trial with his calm, unemotional testimony.

He showed no emotion as the verdict was read out.