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Shameful treatment |
| Channel
1 of the Austrian public broadcasting station, late night news on
October 23rd, 2023. In few words, the arrest of a ghost rider on an
expressway in Lower Austria was reported. An alcohol test gave a
positive result. No accident was caused. Driver's license was revoked.
Usually I would have thought: nothing happened, lucky we were; maybe
even wondering, why this event made it into this short news format. |
| But
the reason was clear at
once. The message started right away with the name of the detainee, a
procedure that made me listen up for two reasons: (1) The name was well
known to everyone; (2) it is not common practice to reveal the full
name of suspects arrested by a police patrol. Anyhow, I went to bed,
unsure whether I should pity the victim for this shameful treatment, or
rather not. |
| The next day started rather late
for me, but surprisingly with further news from the same channel
concerning the same subject: he was found dead in an old arm of the
Danube opposite to Dürnstein, in walking distance from the house where
he was assumed to spend the night. Apparently, he had continued to
drink and finally committed suicide by drowning - after the swift
exposure of his mishap to the public no real surprise. |
| Dr. iur. P. was Counceler at the Ministery of Justice and enjoyed an exceptionally high reputation. His
sudden and unexpected death caused a great stir, with aftermath until
today. Books have been written, a parlamentary committee inquires still
the nearer and farer circumstances of the event. Only one question has
never been asked: Why was his full name broadcasted to the public just
minutes after the arrest? |
| This seems to be the only relevant mystery in this case. |
| MLB (7/26) |