Dead teen’s mother lets fly in court
In an emotional court session yesterday, the mother of 15-year-old Alexis Grigoropoulos accused the lawyer of the police special guard on trial for shooting the teenager of being her son’s «moral murderer,» prompting the attorney to leave the courtroom. Gina Tsalikian launched a fierce verbal attack on policeman Epaminondas Korkoneas and his lawyer Alexis Kougias. «Nobody has been defamed as much as my child was after he was killed by those murderers,» Tsalikian said, pointing to Korkoneas and his colleague Vassilis Saraliotis, who is also on trial but has not been accused of shooting at Grigoropoulos. Tsalikian expressed her anger that Kougias had suggested the teenager was badly behaved and had been expelled from school. «I would call Mr Kougias the moral murderer of my child,» she said. Tsalikian’s statement caused Kougias to immediately leave the courtroom. Earlier, he said that he would not be asking Tsalikian any questions out of respect for her son. Tsalikian’s outburst prompted judge Angelita Papavassiliou to warn her about her behavior in court. «We respect you fully,» said the justice. «There is limitless moral understanding and respect for what you have been through. I am not saying you should not defend your child but do not make personal attacks.» Tsalikian responded by saying, «Your court is alive, my child is dead.» This prompted the intervention of the public prosecutor Haralambos Lakafosis who also asked Tsalikian not to repeat the accusation she made against Kougias. Earlier, an 18-year-old witness to the shooting told the court that the two policemen had sworn at and made gestures toward a group of youths at the spot where Grigoropoulos was shot on December 6, 2008. Korkoneas denies shooting at the teenager but forensic tests indicate the bullet that struck Grigoropoulos was not fired in the air but had struck a cement bollard.
