SANDNES (Nettavisen): On Wednesday, Viggo Kristiansen finished the second of two days in the witness box in the new Baneheia case where his former best friend Jan Helge Andersen is charged with the murder of 10-year-old Lena Sløgedal Paulsen in Baneheia in 2000.
Kristiansen, who was acquitted after serving 21 years in prison for the murder of Paulsen and eight-year-old Stine Sofie Sørstrønen, had to answer a large number of questions from both defenders, the prosecution and the assistance lawyers in Sør-Rogaland district court in Sandnes.
At times it became very intense in court and Kristiansen was on several occasions clearly irritated when, in particular, Andersen’s defenders and the assistance lawyers for the bereaved parents asked questions.
Facts about the Baneheia case
- Stine Sofie Sørstrønen (8) and Lena Sløgedal Paulsen (10) were raped and killed in Baneheia in Kristiansand on 19 May 2000. Two days later they were found.
- Viggo Kristiansen and Jan Helge Andersen were arrested in September of the same year, prosecuted and later sentenced to 21 years’ detention (10 years’ minimum) and 19 years’ imprisonment respectively for the rape and murder of the two girls.
- Andersen confessed and has today served his sentence. He was released on probation on December 22, 2015.
- Kristiansen has claimed that he is innocent. He had his criminal case reopened on 18 February this year.
- Since the verdict, several people have highlighted weaknesses in the evidence that convicts Viggo Kristiansen. In particular, findings and the analysis of partial DNA traces and elements from Kristiansen’s mobile phone at a base station that did not have coverage at the scene where the murders took place have been explained as exclusionary evidence.
- The Borgarting Court of Appeal will hear Kristiansen’s reopened case.
- The Oslo State Prosecutor’s Office must make a recommendation to the Attorney General as to whether a full trial should be carried out in the Court of Appeal or whether an acquittal should be handed down without a main hearing.
- Both Kristiansen and the next of kin have expressed that they want a new main negotiation.
- After Kristiansen had the criminal case reopened, he applied for release for the first time. The Borgarting Court of Appeal did not uphold him on 29 April 2021. Kristiansen appealed the decision.
- On 21 May, the appeals committee in the Supreme Court concluded that the case should be taken up for full consideration by five judges.
- State prosecutors Andreas Schei and Johan Øverberg state on 31 May 2021 that the prosecution supports Viggo Kristiansen’s appeal for release and requests that the issue of release be dealt with in writing.
- On 1 June, the Supreme Court’s appeals committee decided that Kristiansen should be released. Just before 11 p.m., he drove out the gates of Ila prison as a free man for the first time in almost 21 years.
- On 02.09.22, the Oslo State Prosecutor’s Office (OST) confirmed that the case has been fully investigated by the police and that they have sent a recommendation to the Attorney General.
- On Friday 21 October 2022, the Attorney General made it known that he will submit a request for an acquittal for Viggo Kristiansen in a court hearing where the case will be finally decided by verdict.
- It is the court that makes the final decision.
- On 13 December 2022, a simplified court hearing was held in the Borgarting Court of Appeal where the Kristiansen case was heard. This was a mere formality.
- On 15 December 2022, the final acquittal in the criminal case came.
- On 24 February 2023, the Attorney General decided that a request should be made to reopen the case against Jan Helge Andersen for the murder of Lena Sløgedal Paulsen. He was acquitted of this murder in the original case.
- 12 January 2024 The Attorney General decided that Andersen should be prosecuted for the murder of Lena Sløgedal Paulsen. Andersen still claims that Viggo Kristiansen participated in the murders and assaults of both victims in the Baneheia case.
- The trial against Jan Helge Andersen started on 16 April in Sør-Rogaland District Court, court location Sandnes.
SOURCES: NTB, Nettavisen
– Viggo Kristiansen had a tough time in the witness box
The award-winning Baneheia author Bjørn Olav Jahr was present during both days in court, and believes that the whole thing must have been a tough experience for Kristiansen, who in future need not have anything to do with the case.
– He had a rather tough time in the witness box. Perhaps he should have answered more fully, but at the same time I think he may be quite afraid that everything he says could be used against him, as he has experienced in the past, says Jahr to Nettavisen.
Kristiansen was confronted by Andersen’s defenders about his youth, criminal history and his own statements during questioning. Read everything from the court days in Nettavisen’s live studio here.
Among other things, Kristiansen was asked a number of questions about his outrageous behavior in his youth, and also had to make a statement about a previous case in which he has been convicted.
– He has had a tough ride. He is only a witness and is almost examined by Andersen’s defenders as if he had been charged. He does not have a defense attorney, but an assistant lawyer with a limited mandate. It is not a completely lucky combination.
Also read: Reacting to the press taking pictures of Viggo Kristiansen and his girlfriend
Emphasize the judge’s words
– Is it irresponsible of the actors to call in Kristiansen as a witness?
– No. I think I understand that he will be used to inform the case about the movements in Baneheia on the day of the murder. His morals in his teens, I don’t think, are of importance to the case.
Jahr has also noticed something that one district court judge, Tor Christian Carlsen, said during the courtroom.
– He is constantly accused of what he has said in questioning. At one point, the judge said that one should be careful about placing evidentiary weight on what was said in questioning. It is known that everything that was said at the time was not recorded, so it is not a particularly reliable source. Then they tried to maneuver according to this, says Jahr.
And adds:
– This is an interrogation taken by prejudiced police officers who obviously did Viggo Kristiansen no good.
– Difficult day for Kristiansen
Top lawyer Brynjar Meling is assisting Kristiansen in the trial. He is clear about why arguments broke out on several occasions between his client and the lawyers who asked him a series of in-depth and detailed questions.
– It has been a difficult day for him and he finds himself having to answer questions again and again. It has been an enormous burden because many of the questions are not relevant to the case, as Kristiansen sees it, says Meling.
– There is great respect for what Kristiansen has done.
Meling believes that the reason for this is that the actors do not respect when Kristiansen has given an answer. In addition, Kristiansen feels that he is expected to remember things from over 20 years back in time.
– For close to 21 years, he sat innocently in prison. This overshadows most of what he had in terms of feelings and reactions around and after the days of the Baneheia case.
Also read: Viggo Kristiansen in police interrogation: – It was bloody chaos
– What was the worst thing about being in court?
– The experience of the press invitation, the attention and once again being put back is what has been the biggest burden.
On Wednesday, Nettavisen reported that Meling reacted to the press having taken pictures of Kristiansen walking hand in hand with his girlfriend when he arrived at court. Nettavisen was among the media that published these images.
The last part of Kristiansen’s explanation took place behind closed doors. But the press was allowed to be present. The topic here was a criminal relationship for which Kristiansen has been convicted and which he committed when he was in his mid-teens. In court, Kristiansen expressed remorse several times.
– He should have been spared this burden, is Meling’s clear speech.
State Attorney Johan Øverberg believes that it was necessary to ask about the details of the second criminal case.
– I think it has been a fair questioning and the prosecution experienced getting answers to our questions. It is challenging that details are forgotten when it comes to relationships so far back in time, says Øverberg about the questioning of Kristiansen.
Met again after 22 years
Celine Krogh Fornes and Svein Holden are Jan Helge Andersen’s defenders. Andersen and Kristiansen met each other again for the first time when the latter entered the courtroom on Tuesday afternoon.
About how Andersen thinks it has been to be in court with Kristiansen, Fornes only says this to Nettavisen.
– What Andersen thinks and feels about Kristiansen’s certificate remains between us defenders and Andersen,
Fornes is also brief in her answer about what she believes the defense have gained from Viggo Kristiansen’s explanations in court.
– We have asked Kristiansen the questions we believe are relevant to shed light on Andersen’s version of the case, she says to Nettavisen.
During the trial, the atmosphere became somewhat tense at times, as Kristiansen repeatedly said that he could not remember anything about certain questions asked by the defense.
He was also concerned that he did not want to speculate on what he was thinking at the time when the crimes took place, almost 24 years ago.
– How do you feel that he says he does not remember or wants to speculate?
– We have asked him the questions we want and note down the answers we get.
Tags: Viggo Kristiansen Baneheia case Viggo Kristiansen grilled days tough ride
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